British Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell has launched a new vision for the arts and culture to help rebuild broken communities, and to create lasting new ones. Speaking at the launch of a consultation paper, Culture at the Heart of Regeneration Ms Jowell said: 'Culture matters for its own sake. But the argument doesn't stop there. Everyone now accepts that culture can be a catalyst to turn round whole communities. There are examples up and down the country. Places to live must be living places.' The paper closely studies the regenerative effects of large cultural buildings as well as smaller community initiatives, assesses the economic and social benefits of cultural regeneration, and poses a series of questions designed to build up the body of evidence and to engage a wide range of stakeholders. It features numerous case studies and examples from around the country. At the launch, Ms Jowell laid out a six-point plan for building successful and sustainable communities through culture entitled The CHAMPS Formula. The formula, at the heart of the consultation paper – suggests that cultural regeneration works best when there is: Cultural activity bringing a sense of belonging through participation; Heritage that can be developed to make a place where people want to live; Appearance, because good design and planning lead to greater public usage; Mixed-use developments for a vibrant community with the widest appeal; Participation and consultation with the community at all stages; and Singularity – every place is unique, so success must grow from within. Ms Jowell defined that success as a time ‘when culture is as important to planners, developers and government when looking at new projects, as the economy and jobs currently are.’ For further information, CLICK HERE.