What recent local and national elections mean for everyday creativity

Creative Lives' Policy Director, Jess Plant explores what the shifting political landscape means for everyday creativity . . .

May was a busy month for both culture-related and community-related policy areas across the UK, against the backdrop of local and national elections, and government and global instability. This, compounded by issues impacting communities on the ground, creates a changing and fragile position for everyday creativity – at a point when many of us need it the most.

Uncertainty, opportunity and fragility: Why creative groups must remain a priority in a changing political landscape

Creative Lives is here to support and promote the impact local creative groups have in their communities. By bringing people together to craft, sing, dance and more, we know that grassroots creativity:

Connects communities and shapes places
Supports people to lead healthier, happier lives
Encourages civic action and local democracy
Develops people’s skills and opportunities

With these important, and often unrecognised, impacts in mind, we have three main recommendations to all politicians elected and re-elected in the recent local and national elections:

Ensure public spaces are appropriate, affordable and available to local creative groups.
Embed grassroots creativity across multiple public policy agendas.
Celebrate and value community creativity in the wider cultural ecology.

Following national elections, and to highlight how governments can better support grassroots creativity, we have written to the new Cabinet Minister for Culture and Sport Heledd Fychan MS in Wales, and the new Cabinet Secretary for Education, Culture and Gaelic in Scotland, Màiri McAllan.

Creative Lives is delighted that the new Welsh Government is making culture a central priority to foster a healthier and more resilient Wales, reflected in its inclusion at cabinet level. As an elected member of the Third Sector Partnership Council in Wales, Creative Lives will continue to advocate for the needs of local creative groups and the role they can play in building and shaping communities across Wales. We recently hosted a roundtable in Cardiff for senior leaders and decision-makers, to champion the important role of everyday creativity

Creative Lives shares the SNP's vision that Scotland has a flourishing arts and creative sector, and we too want to see a Scotland where creativity is encouraged and supported. We will continue to work with our partners Culture Counts on exploring what a potential Culture and Arts Bill could look like in Scotland, speaking out for the needs of local creative groups. We will follow with interest the potential introduction of the Scottish Artists Minimum Income scheme, and Youth Culture Pass. We will continue to make the case for grassroots creativity to be celebrated, valued and protected.

These changes in devolved leadership in Wales and Scotland, bring new opportunities for local creative groups to play a central role in shaping communities.

Local Elections in England

In England, 136 local authorities went to the polls, electing around a third of the country’s local councillors. The elections resulted in very significant levels of change within local councils, with Labour losing control of 38 councils and the Conservatives losing six. Reform UK gained 14 councils, Green gained five, and the Liberal Democrats one. Twenty three councils switched to being in a state of no overall control by one political party.

This level of change will impact grassroots creativity in different ways across the country, some for the better and perhaps some for the worse. We’ll continue to engage with Local Authorities individually and via wider bodies such as the Local Government Association and the Chief Culture and Leisure Officers Association.

Collectively, local authorities are the single largest funder of creativity in England, and supporting grassroots groups has a much wider impact than the creativity it enables. One of the best ways we can support your group is to ensure it's listed on our Creativity Map – add it here so we can champion your cause.

Mayoral Elections

England also elected six Mayors, representing Croydon, Hackney, Lewisham, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Watford. It’s worth mentioning that these specific Mayors do not share the same devolved powers as the Mayors who serve as figureheads for what are called Mayoral Authorities, Combined Authorities or Strategic Authorities.

Due to recent changes in legislation, these latter bodies will have a responsibility to ensure culture is supported in their region – although this won’t take away from the remit of local authorities or bodies like Arts Council England. We’re working with partners Culture Commons, who are leading a ‘think and do tank’ to ensure community creativity is embedded and understood within Strategic Authorities' understanding of culture. For more information on devolution and what it means for culture, check out the Culture Commons website.

As I wrote in Arts Professional in January 2026:

“We can’t get the whole population to the National Theatre, but we can imagine vibrant libraries, music venues and village halls, where people gather to share human experiences through everyday culture and creativity.”

While change brings challenges, it also brings opportunities, and we hope that the newly elected Governments and local leaders will share the vision for Arts Everywhere, and understand the important role creativity can have on place, communities and democracy itself.