Six cultural organisations in the South West are to receive a share of £2.1m funding from Arts Council England.
The cash includes £750,000 for the Isles of Scilly Council to transform the town hall on St Mary’s into a new museum and cultural centre, and £495,000 to Swindon social enterprise Create Studios to equip its new hub in the town’s historic CarriageWorks.
The money is from a pot of £22.7m to help UK cultural groups transform buildings and buy new equipment, and the grants are for the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 investment period.
Phil Gibby, area director of Arts Council England for the South West, said: ”These organisations already play an important role in their local communities, and this investment will allow them to improve access, seize on technological opportunities, and reduce their environmental impact, thereby strengthening their cultural offer.”
Prime Theatre in Swindon will also receive £105,500 to support the transformation of existing empty spaces into sustainable community hubs. Erin Fletcher, young creative at Prime Theatre, said the money would be “transformative” for artists.
“It gives us all access to professional technical equipment otherwise unavailable to us," she said. "For the wider community it will enhance the quality of our offer to young people, get us out to more community settings, schools and libraries and lower our impact on our environment with more sustainable resources.”
There are 11 priority places in the South West where Arts Council will focus its development time over the next three years (2021-2024), it said. These are Gloucester; Gosport; Isles of Scilly; Isle of Wight; New Forest; North Devon; North Somerset, with a focus on Weston-super-Mare); Portsmouth, Rushmoor; South Somerset, with a focus on Yeovil; and Swindon.
Arts minister Lord Parkinson added: “I want to make sure that everyone has access to the arts, no matter where they live. This funding will make sure that cherished institutions have the infrastructure they need to succeed for years to come.”
Funded projects in the South West
Council of the Isles of Scilly, IOS New Museum and Cultural Centre - £750,000
The old Museum has been closed to the public since 2019. This project will transform the cultural offering on the Isles of Scilly by providing a new state-of-the art venue that will welcome artists, the local community and visitors into a fully accessible space.
Create Studios Digital Media CIC, Create at CarriageWorks - £495,000
The cash will support the growth of Create Studio's new film studio and teaching space at CarriageWorks in the town, including equipping it with technologies and facilities for exhibiting, producing and training. The transformation of the space will create jobs and will help Create Studios build on its existing educational programmes as well as increasing participation through new events.
intoBodmin CIC, Old Library Acquisition and Re-development - £250,000
The community-based arts organisation has been giving funding to buy Bodmin’s Old Library and transform it into a community hub, allowing more creative and cultural activities to take place locally.
Gloucester Guildhall, Guildhall Galvanised - £230,702
The funding will help deliver a range of live and digital performances in this city centre venue as well as being used to upgrade the rehearsal and performance spaces. New systems and a refurbished bar will help the venue to generate further income, too.
Prime Theatre - Prime Theatre and Swindon Community Bid - £105,500
Existing empty spaces will be transformed into fully accessible and environmentally sustainable community hubs. It will also be used to buy a van and technical equipment, and engage more with the local community.
Coda Music Trust, Growing Creativity - £340,000
Dorset's Coda Music Trust, which provides music tuition and creative music workshops, will use the money to regenerate existing buildings and provide new and improved spaces for local communities.
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