Arts Council England has awarded Worcester a grant of £800,000 to support initiatives based around developing and sustaining local creative talent across the city.
Over the next two to three years, this will see festivals being created with members of the local community, as well as structured programmes of skills development for young people to help enhance their career prospects.
Supported by the National Lottery-funded Place Partnership programme, the aim is to secure a step change in Worcester’s cultural offer.
For a number of organisations in the city, it builds on successful partnership working over the past few years, including through the Arches programme, Worcester Mela, and the new Scala Arts Centre.
The successful bid for Arts Council funding was led by a consortium of organisations: Worcester City Council, Severn Arts, the University of Worcester, Worcester Mela, Scala Arts Centre, Heart of Worcestershire College and Worcester Community Trust.
They are part of the wider Worcester Cultural Compact, a partnership that encourages connectivity across the cultural sector of the city.
The project will deliver activities with arts, education, health and charitable organisations in neighbourhoods across the city, as well as in the emerging creative quarter in the city centre, based around the Arches, the new Scala Worcester arts centre and Angel Place
David Blake, Worcester City Council Managing Director, said: “Worcester has a rapidly developing creative sector and we are grateful that the Arts Council has recognised the potential that is being unlocked in our city and awarded this funding to help us and our partners to bring even more cultural success to our city. It is essential that people across the city get the opportunity to shape creative experiences that feel relevant to them, as well as specifically supporting young people with their skills and career development.
“Importantly, this project will see more high-quality festivals and events for everyone taking place around the Arches, Scala Worcester and Angel Place, alongside greater celebration of the South Asian culture in our city.”
Peter Knott, Midlands Area Director at Arts Council England, said: “We’re delighted to invest £800,000 into Worcester through our Place Partnership programme, using funding from the National Lottery.
“We’ve been working closely with Worcester City Council throughout the Arches project, supported by the Cultural Development Fund, and are pleased to continue our investment in the city. We know the positive impact that cultural investment has on places, such as regeneration, growth, employment and happiness, so we’re thrilled that the people in Worcester will have more opportunities to experience, connect and take part in creative and cultural activities on their own doorsteps.”
Lisa Stansbie, Chair of Worcester’s Cultural Compact and Pro Vice Chancellor of the University of Worcester, said: “This is an exciting opportunity to grow our city’s innovative creative sector. From research we know that students don’t necessarily stay to build their careers in Worcester. This Arts Council investment will really boost the support offered in the city for the development of skills for young creatives and aims to increase the number of graduates who remain in the city, either working freelance or starting businesses and organisations. ”
This latest award of cultural funding to Worcester builds on previous successful bids.
These include securing £3 million from the Cultural Development Fund, administered by Arts Council England, to deliver festivals and transform Victorian railway arches into new spaces for creative enterprises. The City Council is also in the process of transforming the former Scala cinema building in Angel Place into a new arts and entertainment centre that will open next year, using a share of £17.9 million of Government funding.