Event: Hanse Festival Networking Event

As part of the Hanse Festival weekend, this open networking event is designed for all businesses looking to connect, collaborate, and celebrate King’s Lynn’s long-standing trade heritage.

Whether you’re a local business owner, entrepreneur, or industry leader, this is a fantastic opportunity to meet like-minded professionals, gain new insights, and enjoy informal networking in a historic setting.

Held at Hanse House, the event will include an engaging talk from an expert speaker, offering insights into the history of Hanse and what to expect from the festival weekend.

Agenda

10:00 am: Arrival & Networking, Coffee & Cake. A brief introductory address by Tim Fitzhigham, the Creative Director of the St George’s Guildhall Project.

10:30 am: Key Speaker and Q&A: Claudia West, Director East of England, Arts Council England: “The importance of strategic investment to make real impact for the arts”

11:00- 11:30am: Networking continues. Offer of a lunchtime tour of the Guildhall of St George by Tim Fizhigham

Our main speaker, Claudia West, Director East of England, Arts Council England

Staring her career as a freelancer working in theatres, Claudia has over 25 years of experience working within the cultural sector and holds a Masters degree in Arts Policy and Management from Birkbeck. Joining Arts Council in 2011, Claudia has supported cultural development in a range of places across the East, working closely with cultural leaders, local authorities and other stakeholders.

As the national development agency for creativity and culture, Arts Council England invest in artists and organisations across England to make and deliver inspirational work for communities, to unlock local growth and increase access to the many benefits that engagement in culture can bring to people and places. Total Arts Council investment in 2023/24 for the East of England was just under £46 million. More information on Arts Council’s objectives and priorities can found in their 10 Year strategy, ‘Let’s Create’.

This free-to-attend event is an excellent way to connect with local business professionals, discover more about King’s Lynn’s historic ties to Hanse trade, and kick-off your Hanse Festival weekend!