Brief
We are considering creating a ‘cultural quarter’ at the top of Watford town centre. Before we embark on a detailed masterplanning exercise, we wish to assess the strengths and weaknesses of Watford’s current cultural offer, and to consider the scope for future developments. What is the optimum cultural offer Watford can sustain? And how can we drive up quality, increase choice and deliver a family-friendly town centre, which operates effectively in the daytime, at evenings and weekends?  Approach
Having defined the Watford catchment (an impressive 960,000 people within 20 minutes of the town centre), we conducted a comprehensive audit of the cultural ‘marketplace’; in Watford and across the region. Some forty cultural venues were assessed, using six criteria: place, profile, programming, promotion, people and profitability. At the same time, we surveyed Watford town centre as a cultural space in the eyes of the user, by creating a series of ‘cultural journeys’ for the Watford ‘archetypes’ – mapping who goes where, when, why and how.

 Our team used a variety of techniques, including observation/participation, desk research, stakeholder interviews and a brainstorm with local operators. The findings were depicted in a series of maps, highlighting the cultural ‘hotspots’ and ‘local heroes’, as well as the significant gaps – and opportunities - in the regional market. 

 Outcome
Cornerstone’s findings are being used in two ways. Our conclusions formed a core element of the masterplanning brief issued in Autumn 2008. Equally importantly, a group of local cultural champions have come together to develop fresh ideas for programming and marketing the city centre as a cultural space – starting with a new arts festival.  Watford Live!, which ran from 6th to 20th June 2009, in venues across Watford.