Rochdale's CDF2 Project
Coordinated by Rochdale Development Agency, our borough’s CDF project has enabled our borough to progress many of the objectives outlined in our boroughs cultural strategies, helping drive a long-term change of direction for arts and culture across the borough as a key driver of regeneration, and enabling a range of exciting activities and initatives.
Overview
Our CDF2 programme is focussed on a major capital project to redevelop Touchstones as a multi-disciplinary cultural hub, at the heart of a newly established Cultural Innovation District in Rochdale Town Centre. The work to establish this district comprises a range of capital interventions including new workspace and public art, as well as revenue funding to enable the RDA’s Culture and Placemaking Team to implement a range of initiatives and actions outlined in the Councils Cultural Strategy. The third component of the programme is the establishment of a boroughwide ‘Cultural Compact’. Combined, these programmes seek to realise that wide-ranging benefits of a thriving cultural ecosystem.
We know there is a big appetite, heart and ambition in the borough to create excellent cultural experiences for our diverse communities and this funding allows us to bring everyone together.
Please scroll down to read more about each of these objectives.
Touchstones
At the heart of Rochdale’s CDF2 project is the landmark redevelopment of the much loved Touchstones building. The borough’s major arts and heritage venue will be transformed into a multidisciplinary cultural hub with new flexible performance and production spaces for artists, improved areas for training, live events and exhibitions.
The work includes ‘The Dining Room’, combining the theme of food with the borough’s collections, co-created alongside Rochdale’s diverse communities. Thanks to additional funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Touchstones has commissioned three artists to work with 20 community curators to produce a new museum space alongside several other projects in time for its re-opening in 2025.The project also allows vital works to improve the building’s accessibility and sustainability.
Cultural Innovation District
The second part of our CDF2 project focuses on developing a ‘Cultural District’ in Rochdale Town Centre to deliver social and economic benefits from a thriving cultural ecosystem.
This district builds on key developments like Rochdale Town Hall, Fire Up co-working space, and Touchstones, alongside the ‘Rochdale Creates Space’ workspace programme, street art, and activation projects. It is complemented by the ‘Create Innovation’ programme, which activates spaces, supports young people, and develops our creative sector.
Cultural Compact
The third component our CDF2 project is the establishment of a boroughwide ‘Cultural Compact’. This concept of a Cultural Compact was launched in 2019 by DCMS and ACE, as partnerships that included more than just the cultural sector and Local Authorities, to work strategically to support the local cultural sector and enhance its contribution to local development.
Rochdale is the birthplace of the cooperative movement, and our Cultural Compact reflects these principles in how we work together with the wider arts and cultural sector. Our working circles focus on our strategic areas of work and are operate in a sociocratic way.
The focus is currently on: Children & Young People; Business & talent development; Connecting the sector; Activating our public spaces; and Community Engagement. To find out more, visit: Cultural Compact page
What we have achieved so far
We’re proud of what we’ve achieved with the CDF2 investment from March 2022 to August 2024 and look forward to more. Here are some key highlights.
Revenue initiatives
The revenue element of the CDF project enables us to implement strategic initiatives to bring transformative change to our local creative communities and audiences. We deliver these via our Cultural Compact.
Our priorities are to build sustainable infrastructure, connect individuals with opportunities and career paths, and explore new ways to activate public spaces and reach new audiences.
Our main aim is to support a strong creative sector, bring joy to our local communities and enable children and young people to become the next generation of cultural consumers and producers.
Strategic Development
The CDF investment has enabled Rochdale Development Agency & Rochdale Borough Council to recruit a dedicated Culture & Placemaking team to lead on the strategic development of the project and wider cultural programme of work in the borough.
Using CDF as a testing ground, we are exploring how strategic placement in the Development Agency can foster cross-sector collaborations, integrate arts and culture into regeneration projects, and connect with the wider sector through the Cultural Compact.
To find out more about the Culture & Placemaking team visit: Culture & Placemaking Team (RDA) page.
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