Arts, Culture & Heritage
South Yorkshire is a region of makers.
We tell stories and shape ideas, with a spirit that's alive in our studios, venues, festivals and community spaces.
A sector that drives growth and shapes identity
The sector plays a critical role in driving economic growth and delivering wider social impact: supporting tourism, contributing to health and wellbeing, enriching education, and strengthening community pride and identity across South Yorkshire.
SYMCA is part of the South Yorkshire Local Visitor Economy Partnership (SYLVEP). The partnership underpins arts, culture and heritage activities in the region, through working collectively on shared priorities to foster visitor economy growth, already worth up to £2bn.
We're home to major festivals including Crossed Wires and Tramlines, cultural events such as Rotherham Children's Capital of Culture, and countless heritage sites and museums , from the National Video Game Museum to Danum Gallery and Wentworth Woodhouse.
Music education is championed in South Yorkshire’s schools, and thousands of young people have been supported to access musical opportunities. Mayor Oliver Coppard and SYMCA, in partnership with music services across the region, established the South Yorkshire Music Hub in 2024, to continue and enhance the legacy of rich music education in the region.
This hive of inspiration and activity has produced household names and put us on the global stage, time and time again.
Building on our strong cultural assets
Arts, culture and heritage remain a priority for SYMCA as we work towards a more productive, vibrant and resilient economy that benefits everyone.
SYMCA has invested millions into the sector, and is making a clear commitment to unlocking the full potential of the industries through launching a Creative and Cultural Investment Framework. Developed in partnership, this framework reflects a shared ambition to build capacity, foster collaboration, and secure the long-term success of the sector.
Creative and Cultural Investment Framework
PDF (3.2MB)
Read the framework"By bringing together cultural investment with wider priorities such as skills, business support, regeneration and public services, leaders aim to create a more connected and resilient creative economy - one that delivers growth, pride and opportunity across every part of South Yorkshire."
Mayor Oliver Coppard