London Centre for Arts and Cultural Exchange

The London Centre for Arts and Cultural Exchange (LCACE) is a university initiative promoting the exchange of knowledge and expertise with the capital's arts and cultural sectors. The initiative was formed in 2004 to encourage collaboration between its partner universities and London's arts and cultural sectors.^[1] LCACE was initially funded from the Higher Education Funding Council of England's HEIF 2 Fund (Higher Education Innovation Fund). The initiative is based at Somerset House and aims to produce networking and information-based events to highlight formal Knowledge transfer initiatives such as those supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council.^[2]

Rebranding and Evolution into TCCE

In 2011, LCACE underwent a significant structural and operational shift, rebranding as The Culture Capital Exchange (TCCE) and transitioning into an independent company limited by guarantee without share capital (Company Number 07623720), officially incorporated on May 5, 2011. This move marked an evolution from a university-led initiative to a more autonomous membership organization committed to facilitating knowledge exchange between Higher Education (HE) and the arts and cultural sectors.^[3]

TCCE Mission and Core Activities

TCCE maintains the foundational goal of its predecessor, LCACE, but has expanded its scope to focus on a broader definition of 'Knowledge Exchange' (KE), moving beyond the initial emphasis on 'knowledge transfer' and 'technology transfer'. The organization is designed to catalyze and support Research Collaborations, Knowledge Exchange, and Public Engagement through a range of programs, events, and resources.

Key activities and initiatives under TCCE include:

Creativeworks London (2012–2016): TCCE played a central role as the joint Head of the Knowledge Exchange Programme for this major Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Hub for the Creative Economy, focusing on developing new initiatives for collaboration.

The National Centre for Academic and Cultural Exchange (NCACE): Launched in 2020 with funding from Research England, NCACE is TCCE's primary national initiative. Its core mission is to facilitate and support KE capacity between HE and the arts/cultural sector across the entire UK, with a specific focus on evidencing and showcasing the social, cultural, environmental, and economic impacts of these activities. NCACE operates across four key areas: Collaboration Support and Networking; Skills and Capacity Development; Evidence Building and Impact Development; and Showcasing and Communications.^[4]

Targeted Challenge Areas: TCCE also focuses its events and programs on wider societal challenges, including resilience, health, and digital creativity, often in collaboration with its member institutions, such as the Arts and Health Forum run with Anglia Ruskin University (ARU).

Membership and Governance

TCCE continues to operate with a core membership of universities, many of which were involved with the original LCACE. The transition to an independent company provided a framework to sustain and grow its work beyond initial public funding mechanisms like HEIF 2. The company is led by a Director and Secretary, with a focus on delivering collaborative and effective programs for mutual benefit and wider impact.

The eleven universities involved with the organization as core members are the City, University of London, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Faculty of Education, Health and Community, Liverpool John Moores University, London South Bank University, Loughborough University London, Middlesex University London, Ravensbourne University, Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, University College London, and the University of West London.^[5]

Partners

LCACE university partners and core team have worked with a wide range of arts and cultural sector organisations in London on both short and long-term projects. A selection of such organisations include: Arts Council England (London) Artangel, The Art Fund, The Barbican, bfi southbank, British Library, British Museum, Bubble Theatre, Clod Ensemble, The Crafts Council, Create Kings X, ENO, Geffrye Museum, ICA, Space Media Arts, The Glass House, The Illustrious Company, Live Art Development Agency, MLA, Museum of London, National Portrait Gallery, Shakespeare's Globe, Tate Modern, Tate Britain, UK Film Council, V&A. ^[6][7]

Inside Out Festival

Main article: Inside Out Festival

Inside Out is a festival curated by LCACE that showcases the contribution of nine London Universities to the capital's cultural life. The festival was first held in venues across the capital 19–25 October 2009.^[8]

Notable speakers at the 2009 festival included Michael Portillo who chaired a conference entitled 'Art: What's it good for?' at King's Place. Speakers at this event also included Nasser Azam and Julia Peyton Jones. Other events included Andrew Motion in conversation, and Professor Orlando Figes speaking on Contemporary Attitudes to The Holocaust.^[9][10]