Culture is what makes life worth living. However, mention the word "culture" to the majority of people and their eyes are soon likely to glaze over – either because they do not see culture as something that is relevant to them or because they imagine it is only concerned with certain traditional arts.

But culture – in the way it is defined in this document - impacts on the lives of all people across Torbay. It involves the activities we do out of choice: those things that we enjoy, that inspire us and improve the quality of our lives.

It represents a wealth of activities. For example:

• taking part in or watching different types of sport or leisure activities – yes including skateboarding!
• enjoying musicians perform in a pub or at a classical music concert
• being uplifted by our magnificent coastline, open spaces and public parks
• cherishing our shared heritage of historic buildings and local museums
• using our libraries to connect to the vast amount of knowledge and information they contain
• being a member of a local drama or dance group
• going to a local nightclub or theatre
• and much, much more.

Torbay Council now has a new Learning and Cultural Services Directorate to enable cultural activities across the Bay to flourish. However, this service is not just concerned with what Torbay Council or any one organisation does. Instead, it addresses the cultural development of the area as a whole. It is about making people proud to say they live in Torbay and encouraging visitors to come and enjoy all that the area has to offer.

The strategy links closely to the work of Torbay's Local Strategic Partnership and their development of an overall Community Plan which will address the various challenges facing the Bay in the years to come. Indeed, Culture is one of the six themes around which the Community Plan is being developed.

The proposals in this strategy have been endorsed by local people – of all ages – and organisations during the course of recent months. An overwhelming message to emerge from that consultation was the need to translate the strategy into practical action which can improve the Bays cultural well-being.

The strategy now sets out a clear direction to develop cultural activities across the Bay in the years ahead. The challenge facing us all is to begin to turn the ideas contained in this document into reality and, in doing so, to bring real and lasting benefits to all of us who live, work in or visit the Bay.