Cambridge Cultural Finance Forum 2026
18 May 2026
09:30 -19:30
Times are shown in local time
Open to:
- Cambridge students and alumni
- Cultural sector professionals
- Investors, policymakers and technology leaders
Cambridge Judge Business School
Trumpington St
Cambridge
CB2 1AG
United Kingdom
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Category: Conferences On-campus events
Join us to explore the future of cultural finance and innovation
The Cambridge Cultural Finance Forum brings together people who don’t usually share a room, let alone a balance sheet.
Hosted at Cambridge Judge Business School, the forum convenes museum directors, investors, policymakers, and founders for a sharper, more honest exchange on what comes next. Together, we tackle one big question the sector has been circling and no one’s quite answered: how do we actually fund culture without flattening it into something safe, predictable, or worse, forgettable?
We’ll get into all the uncomfortable bits: new financial models, shifting power dynamics, and whether ‘sustainability’ in culture actually means survival, or something more ambitious. The goal isn’t just to keep the lights on, but to figure out who controls the switch, and what we’re illuminating in the first place.
Download the event brochure to find out more about the event, including the proposed agenda, speaker list and partners/sponsors, and to learn about the CAMSE (Culture, Arts, Media, Sports & Education) Special Interest Group.
Speakers
The conference features a cross-sector group of senior leaders and practitioners, including:
Sonita Alleyne OBE
Master, Jesus College
Paul Blundell
Head of Digital Research and Development, Arts Marketing Association
Niall Caldwell FCIPR
Corporate Affairs Lead, Retail Banking, NatWest Group
Gishan Dissanaike
Dean, Cambridge Judge Business School
Allègre Hadida
Associate Professor in Strategy and Entertainment Science
Ben Lane
Senior Manager for Enterprise & Innovation, Arts Council England
Tami Hoffman
Director of Public Policy, The Guardian
Ida Levine
Non-Executive Director, Creative UK
Rodrigo Marques
Chief Technology Officer, Acute Art
Lord Chris Smith
Chancellor, University of Cambridge
Sam Wilkinson
Director of Public Art and Director of Cultural and Community Engagement, UCL East Campus
Agenda
The programme is structured around 5 key themes:
- policy: the role of government and public institutions
- funding: capital models, philanthropy and investment
- creation: content, storytelling and audience engagement
- innovation: AI, digital transformation and immersive technologies
- enterprise: commercialisation, retail and business strategy
Following the daytime sessions, the forum will feature an evening programme of live music and artistic performance, creating a more immersive and cross-disciplinary experience.
09:00-09:30
Registration and coffee
Delegate arrival, registration and informal networking
09:30-09:45
Opening remarks
Gishan Dissanaike: Welcome address and framing of the forum
09:45-10:00
Policy keynote
Sonita Alleyne OBE: Setting the scene: the role of policy in shaping cultural sustainability
10:00-11:00
Session 1: Culture × policy
The role of public policy and cross-sector collaboration in supporting cultural sustainability
11:00-11:20
Coffee break
Refreshments and networking
11:20-12:20
Session 2: Culture × funding
Exploring funding models, partnerships and investment strategies for cultural institutions
12:20-12:35
Cambridge Judge spotlight
Allègre Hadida: Creative industries: research, innovation and enterprise
12:35-13:30
Networking lunch
Curated networking across culture, finance and technology sectors
13:30-14:30
Session 3: Culture × creation
The balance of artistic, social, civic and economic value in existing funding structures
14:30-15:20
Session 4A: Culture × innovation (experiences)
Immersive storytelling, XR, digital environments and the future of audience engagement
15:20-15:40
Coffee break
Refreshments and informal discussions
15:40-16:30
Session 4B: Culture × innovation (AI and data)
AI, data and organisational transformation in cultural institutions
16:30-17:30
Session 5: Culture × enterprise
Commercialisation, business models and revenue diversification
17:30-18:00
Closing session
Lord Chris Smith: Key takeaways and future collaboration opportunities
18:00-19:30
Evening programme
Drinks, live music and creative performances
Register
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