A consortium of arts and community organisations in Northumberland, led by the Woodhorn Trust, has been awarded £2.4m by Arts Council England (ACE) to run a three-year programme of community-led activity.
ACE’s Creative People and Places programme last month awarded nearly £16m to seven consortia in areas of the country where people’s involvement in the arts was “significantly below the national average”.
The focus is on projects that allow communities and grassroots organisations to play a leading part in inspiring others to become involved with the arts.
In Northumberland, the project will draw on playwright Lee Hall’s relationship with the Ashington Group of artists – also known as the Pitmen Painters because so many were miners – whose work is on display at Woodhorn.
Venues such as shops, GP surgeries, libraries and sports centres will be used to enable people to experience art.
Alison Clark-Jenkins, ACE’s north-east regional director, said: “It is a game-changer for the area, enabling the programme’s partners to work with national and international artists to deliver fresh and engaging projects to an area where it will make a huge difference.”
Successful consortia will receive a small percentage of their award to develop plans, with full funding dependent on the arts council approving their business plans.
ACE’s Creative People and Places programme last month awarded nearly £16m to seven consortia in areas of the country where people’s involvement in the arts was “significantly below the national average”.
The focus is on projects that allow communities and grassroots organisations to play a leading part in inspiring others to become involved with the arts.
In Northumberland, the project will draw on playwright Lee Hall’s relationship with the Ashington Group of artists – also known as the Pitmen Painters because so many were miners – whose work is on display at Woodhorn.
Venues such as shops, GP surgeries, libraries and sports centres will be used to enable people to experience art.
Alison Clark-Jenkins, ACE’s north-east regional director, said: “It is a game-changer for the area, enabling the programme’s partners to work with national and international artists to deliver fresh and engaging projects to an area where it will make a huge difference.”
Successful consortia will receive a small percentage of their award to develop plans, with full funding dependent on the arts council approving their business plans.
