HYOC 2020 - Drift Limits

Hertfordshire Year Of Culture 2020

Also known as HYOC2020, Hertfordshire Year of Culture 2020 is a year to showcase Hertfordshire as a county of creative and cultural opportunity.

The campaign is being led by the Hertfordshire Association of Cultural Officers (HACO) and we are encouraging organisations and individuals from across the sector to get involved.

Five broad objectives have been identified to support the year:

  • Celebrate, share and explore Hertfordshire’s arts, culture and heritage
  • Enable access and participation in arts, culture and heritage for new audiences
  • Increase wellbeing and a sense of belonging through arts, culture and heritage
  • Showcase pathways to education, employment and enterprise in creative and cultural industries
  • Create new partnerships and new work through skill sharing and new ways of working

What will you see in 2020?

A collaborative, high profile promotional campaign for existing cultural activity across Hertfordshire.

  • Key dates to draw together delivery partners countywide
  • ‘Special Experiences’ added to both current opportunities and new activities
  • New partnerships and skill sharing between organisations and practitioners, creating new activity locally.
  • 12 themed months, with core activity co-ordinated by a lead agency.
  • Monthly Themes

The year will be split into 12 themed months. This does not mean that we won’t promote cultural activities that don’t link with that month – your activity can take place any time in the year. The months exist to provide the year with some structure and allow us to focus our marketing activities.

They also help with the evaluation process.

January                Try Something New

February              Workforce Development and Volunteering

March                   Access the Arts

April                      Go Somewhere Local

May                       The Big Outdoors

June                      Big Ideas

July                       Cultural Olympiad

August                  Families and Friends

September          Heritage and History/Meet the Maker

October               Be Inspired/Get Back Into

November          Creative Minds and Creative Industries

December           Celebrate and Illuminate

Who can get involved?

Anyone! We want as many people and organisations as possible to get behind this campaign to help us reach Hertfordshire residents. You could be a Parish or Town Council, leisure provider, lunch club leader, arts venue, dance group leader, music teacher, University of the Third Age Group (U3A), Rotary Club, group of mums or just a group of friends. You could be someone who runs a group that has no link to arts, culture or heritage but would like to encourage your group to try new activities throughout the year. Or you may be someone who provides creative and cultural opportunities who can promote what you offer under the HYOC2020 umbrella to encourage new people to join your activity.

If you are interested in finding out more, being involved or to join a contact list for further details as they are released, please email:

Annie Smith, Community Partnerships Wellbeing Officer, Dacorum Borough Council  annie.smith@dacorum.gov.uk

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