Lowestoft Culture Collective - East Suffolk Means Business

Chair Opportunity

Key details

Volunteer position (reasonable expenses may be reimbursed)
Two-year term, with the option to extend for a third year
Approximately bi-monthly to quarterly meetings in Lowestoft, plus occasional events and partnership meetings
Open to applicants from cultural, heritage, education, health, business, community or public sector backgrounds

Applicants must be 18 years or over.

Expression of Interest deadline: 5pm, Tuesday 24 November.

The Lowestoft Culture Collective is seeking an inspiring and collaborative Chair to help shape the future of culture in Lowestoft. This voluntary role will provide strategic leadership for the Collective, championing arts, heritage and creativity while strengthening partnerships across the cultural, education, health, business and community sectors.

Working with a network of local cultural organisations and partners, the Chair will help lead the creation and delivery of Lowestoft’s five-year cultural strategy, promote culture as a driver of regeneration and wellbeing, and act as an ambassador for the town’s cultural ambitions.

The Collective are looking for someone with a strong connection to Lowestoft, excellent leadership and partnership-building skills, and a passion for creating opportunities for local people, particularly children and young people.

This is a unique opportunity to help ensure culture, heritage and creativity remain at the heart of Lowestoft’s future.

Apply for the Chair position

Tell us what you would bring to the Chair role, using relevant examples. Short, focused answers are welcome. No specific qualifications are required. Fields marked ‘required’ must be completed; the remaining questions are optional.

Contact details

Full name (required)

Email address (required)

Telephone number (optional)

Organisation (optional, if applicable)

Relevant experience

Tell us about your experience, skills and expertise that would support you in the role of Chair of the Lowestoft Culture Collective. (required)

Qualifications and professional development

Please outline any qualifications, training, professional memberships or accreditations that are relevant to this role. (Please note that no specific qualifications are required.) (optional)

Your connection to Lowestoft

Tell us about your connection to Lowestoft and your aspirations for the town. (required)

Supporting Lowestoft's Cultural Vision

Read about the Collective’s priorities for context.

How would you help drive forward Lowestoft's Cultural Vision and bring the cultural sector together through the work of the Lowestoft Culture Collective? (required)

Additional information

Is there anything else you would like us to consider in support of your application? (optional)

Your application will be sent to East Suffolk Council’s Economic Development team for consideration. A message on this page will confirm successful submission. For questions about your application, contact economicdevelopment@eastsuffolk.gov.uk.

Applicant Declaration & Data Protection

The information you have supplied is being collected in order for East Suffolk Council to process your application for the Lowestoft Culture Collective Volunteer Chair role. Your Chair application will be shared and discussed with Lowestoft Culture Collective members. Your information will not be used for any other purpose unless East Suffolk Council obtains your consent or unless permitted by law.

Due to corporate retention requirements for financial information, your information will be retained for 7 years.

Data will be processed and held securely and in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018 (and any updates).

Further information about data protection and the full Economic Development and Regeneration privacy notice can be found on the East Suffolk website.

Applicant confirmations (both required)

I agree to submitting this application and understand the data protection statement.

I confirm that the information I have provided is accurate.

About the Lowestoft Culture Collective

The Lowestoft Culture Collective (LCC) is the strategic voice for culture in Lowestoft, bringing together organisations, creative practitioners and partners to champion the role of arts, heritage and creativity in shaping the town’s future.

Working collaboratively across sectors, the LCC promotes culture as a driver of regeneration, wellbeing, learning and economic growth. We advocate for investment, support opportunities for cultural participation, and help ensure that creativity remains at the heart of Lowestoft’s identity and ambition.

By supporting the growth of the cultural and creative sector, the LCC is helping to make Lowestoft a vibrant, distinctive and inspiring place to live, work, visit and invest.

Key Priorities & Objectives

Developing Lowestoft’s Cultural Vision – The Collective leads the development and delivery of Lowestoft’s Cultural Vision, overseeing a five-year action plan and monitoring progress to ensure lasting impact.
Supporting a Vibrant Cultural Sector – The Collective champions culture as a driver of creativity, regeneration, tourism, business growth, and community pride, helping to strengthen Lowestoft as a great place to live, work, visit, and invest.
Promoting Inclusion and Participation – The Collective advocates for opportunities that enable people of all ages, backgrounds, and communities to engage with arts, heritage, and culture.
Strengthening the Sector – The Collective works collectively to support the needs of cultural organisations, venues, freelancers, young people, and emerging creatives across the town.
Providing Strategic Leadership – The Collective builds strong relationships with key partners, including the Lowestoft Place Board and Pride in Place Neighbourhood Board, to align priorities and maximise collaboration.
Raising Lowestoft’s Cultural Profile – The Collective promotes Lowestoft’s cultural offer locally, regionally, and nationally, helping to celebrate and showcase the town’s creativity and heritage.
Attracting Investment – The Collective supports partners to secure funding and investment from organisations such as Arts Council England, Historic England, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and other public and private funders.
Demonstrating Impact – The Collective encourages collaboration and data sharing across the sector to better understand, measure, and communicate the value of culture in Lowestoft.
Reviewing and Improving – The Collective regularly reviews its priorities, membership, governance, and effectiveness to ensure it remains relevant, responsive, and impactful.

Members

The Lowestoft Culture Collective (LCC) brings together a broad range of cultural organisations, venues, and partners working to strengthen and champion culture in Lowestoft. Members include:

East Suffolk Council
First Light Festival CIC
Lowestoft Cultural Education Partnership
Lowestoft Town Hall
Lowestoft Vision
Marina Theatre
Messums Creative Limited
Seagull Theatre
Suffolk Artlink
The Association for Suffolk Museums
The Lowestoft Players

Strategic Partners

The Lowestoft Culture Collective works with key strategic partners to champion culture, support regeneration, and help shape Lowestoft’s future. Through collaboration and advocacy, LCC ensures culture is represented within local, district, regional, and national priorities.

Lowestoft Place Board
Pride in Place Neighbourhood Board
East Suffolk Council
Lowestoft Town Council
Arts Council England