Unpacked – Edson Burton: what is culture and who does it belong to?

Dr Edson Burton wears many different hats, both figuratively and literally. He’s a writer, performer, historian, poet, well-dressed man about town, and – as you’ll know if you follow his social channels – physical training enthusiast. So who better to wade into one of the thorniest issues of the day: what is our culture, and who does it belong to? In a freewheeling chat with Neil, Edson speaks about his personal experience of moving between worlds: working-class Bedford roots to academic institutions; Radio 4 to grassroots venues; poetry to dancefloors. Rather than “cutting himself off” from any part of his life, he describes identity as something we carry — and something that keeps evolving.That applies not only to individuals but also Bristol, and to the wider UK as it wrestles with economic and political changes, the temptation of populism and questions over who we even are as a nation now. With our city vying to become UK City of Culture in 2029, Edson and Neil explore how culture can people can get out of their silos and find the things that unite us. It’s an epic chat that Neil admits he'd have happily carried on for another few hours – enjoy. The Bristol Cable is Bristol's community-owned cooperative newsroom – fiercely independent journalism that puts people before profit. Since 2014, we've been holding power to account through investigative reporting, community campaigns, and democratic media ownership. Because when journalism serves the community, not shareholders, real change becomes possible.Support independent journalism and help us bring more vital conversations to Bristol: become a Bristol Cable member.