- 10 cultural and creative organisations in the South West to benefit from a share of £24.2 million nationally through Arts Council England’s second round of the Capital Investment Programme.
- Funding will boost visitor accessibility, reduce environmental impact and support new business models.
- Improved cultural infrastructure will bolster the production of high-quality creative work and unleash creative potential.
- Grants range from £100,000 to £750,000 for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 investment period.
8 May 2024 Thanks to Government funding, today Arts Council England is announcing awards totalling over £24.2 million from its Capital Investment Programme to be shared between 67 cultural organisations across the country.
An investment of £2.7 million has been awarded to 10 organisations in the South West including:
- Portsmouth Historic Quarter in Portsmouth, where the former military site Carpenters’ Yard at Priddy’s Hard will be transformed into a public arts centre boasting nine affordable artist studios
- The country’s oldest illuminated procession Bridgwater Carnival to redevelop its semi-derelict carnival centre for its volunteers and participants;
- Ventnor Exchange to run a portable Big Top tent in the Isle of Wight, taking their dynamic programme to the community of the Isle;
- And in Exeter, visitors and residents will benefit from funding awarded to Theatre Alibi which will see it deliver more activities for children and young people in the transformed Church Hall.
In its second round, the Capital Investment Programme will again deliver grants from £100,000 to £750,000 to provide much needed financial assistance to invest in equipment, digital infrastructure and technology; to acquire and adapt buildings for cultural use; and to extend and upgrade existing spaces. The programme supports the Arts Council’s mission to ensure communities across the country have the infrastructure where creativity for everyone can thrive.
By improving access, enhancing the environmental performance of buildings, vehicles and equipment, and increasing technological capability to produce, distribute and exhibit cultural content, these projects will help secure the creative future of towns, villages and communities across the South West, including in places where cultural investment has previously been too low.
Darren Henley, Chief Executive at Arts Council England said: “This infrastructure investment will help a whole range of different cultural organisations across England to flourish, increasing opportunities for people to enjoy creatively excellent cultural events close to where they live. It’s particularly important that we’re making this happen in communities where cultural investment has historically been low.”
Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay, Minister for Arts, Heritage and Libraries said: “Cultural venues enrich our lives, and it’s vital that their infrastructure matches the excellence of the creative work that goes on inside them.
“Our funding is helping both to create new venues and to adapt existing ones to make them more accessible, helping to deliver the Government’s plan to make sure that everyone, no matter where they live or what their background, has access to excellent, life-changing cultural opportunities.”
Phil Gibby, South West Area Director, Arts Council England, adds: “We are thrilled to be investing over £2.7 million in ten organisations, unlocking creative potential throughout the South West. It’s not just bricks and mortar – with better buildings comes improved accessibility, new technology and a reduced environmental footprint. This public funding comes at a crucial time and matters more than ever to staff, volunteers and visitors. We can’t wait to see plans take shape.”
Round 1 of the Capital Investment Programme was announced in May 2022 and saw Arts Council England invest £22.7 million into 66 organisations nationally to help improve their infrastructure across the 2021-22 and 2022-23 investment period. This includes awards to Gloucester Guildhall, enhancing its range of live and digital performances; Create Studios in Swindon, equipped with state-of-the-art technologies helping them expand their reach in the community; and the Old Town Hall in the Isles of Scilly culminating in a new museum and cultural centre for visitors and residents.
The Capital Investment Programme is one of many Arts Council funding programmes and is just one of the ways we support arts, culture and creativity. We are now one year into our new National Portfolio for 2023-26, through which we are investing regular funding in 117 organisations in the South West across arts, museums and libraries to help us deliver the aims of our Let’s Create strategy.
Today’s Capital Investment Programme announcement sees awards being offered to organisations in the South West that have joined our National Portfolio, such as Wildworks in Cornwall, which will use the award for industry-standard equipment and training, Swindon Dance towards improved spaces for its wider dance provision, and Burton Art Gallery in Bideford, as well as to organisations outside the portfolio, such as Cinderford Town Council and The Plough Arts Centre.
