Why Public Investment Matters - Travelling Light’s Impact in Bristol
Travelling Light’s work makes a real difference to the lives of children and young people in Bristol. It improves their confidence, supports their mental health and helps improve speaking and listening skills. Schools and early years settings say how important our work is to children’s learning and social and emotional development. Our work supports social cohesion, brings families and communities together, and provides thousands of children with their first experience of theatre.
Read more about the impact of our work in 2024-25
Bristol City Council's investment in Travelling Light
In 2024-25, for every £1 Bristol City Council invested in Travelling Light’s work, we generated an additional £9.26 in grants, donations and earned income, helping us to reach children in seven of the most deprived areas in the city, particularly families and communities in the Barton Hill and Lawrence Hill wards, where we are based.
Bristol City Council’s impact survey found that our work had an economic value to the city of £531,986 through our activities and the creation of employment opportunities.
Actors performing in Igloo. Photo by Alastair Brookes.
The Impact of arts and culture in the city
Bristol’s cultural life is one of the city’s defining strengths – a source of pride, identity, and belonging that reaches into every part of the city. It fuels creativity, supports jobs, builds communities, and brings joy and meaning to people’s lives. The Council’s long-standing investment in culture has been fundamental to this success.
The scale and impact of Bristol’s cultural sector speak for themselves:
10.9 million people experienced Bristol’s culture in 2024, live and online
Culture generates £892.9 million in economic impact for the city every year
Culture creates £122.4 million in social value – improving health and wellbeing, education, community cohesion, employment, and the environment
For every £1 invested by Bristol City Council, arts organisations bring around £88 back into Bristol’s economy.
A child and artist taking part in our early years R&D. Photo by Edward Felton.
Would you like to support our work with children and young people?
Help us change children's lives through creativity. Find out how you can support us: