Cultural Compact awards over £115,000 to Shropshire based arts and cultural organisations
Arts and cultural organisations across Shropshire have secured grants from Vibrant Shropshire: a Cultural Compact to deliver cultural projects that overcome barriers to participation, improve health and engage young people.
Vibrant Shropshire: a Cultural Compact was established by Shropshire Council, with support from Arts Council England (ACE) in 2022. Under the leadership of its chair Paul Johnson, Theatre Professor and Deputy Provost at the University of Chester and its cross-sector board, it has secured additional funding from ACE and Central Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to deliver a series of training events and manage a grants programme for cultural and arts organisations.
Applicants were invited to apply for grants of between £1000 – £5000 for projects that would help deliver the county’s cultural strategy by overcoming barriers to participating in the arts and culture and using culture to address health and social issues in the county.
The Rajasthan Heritage Brass Band will bring a multicultural celebration to the Ginger & Spice Festival in Market Drayton on Saturday 28 September 2024, thanks to support from Vibrant Shropshire – a Cultural Compact.
Paul Johnson commented:
“We were delighted by the diversity of the grant applications from all over the county and the quality of the projects that were proposed.”
All of the projects increased opportunities for communities across the county to engage in the arts and culture. These included:
- creative workshops and exhibitions to support people living with mental health issues
- mass participation arts projects for rural community groups
- intergenerational creative workshops
- cultural activities for young members of the Special Educational Needs and Disability community
- school-based drama activities in an area with high levels of deprivation
- inclusive dance workshop
Other projects were designed to use arts and culture to improve the health and wellbeing of the community and included:
- wellbeing yoga workshops in isolated rural areas
- creative activities to support the wellbeing of expectant and new mums
- art and nature activities for young people impacted by a cancer diagnosis
- wellbeing music workshops in rural communities and care giving settings
Initiatives to enable young people to become active participants in the arts were also well represented including training for young people to write reviews of the arts, participation in a film making academy, a youth fringe festival, creative and conservation activities in natural landscapes and stage craft workshops.
As a large rural county, lack of access to arts and culture is an issue for many of Shropshire’s residents. This was addressed by projects including a multicultural performance at a community festival, Chinese Culture workshops and performances at different locations, a film festival in a rural town and musical performances in rural areas. All of these initiatives helped isolated communities have a richer cultural experience.
Councillor Rob Macey, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for digital and culture added:
“Arts and culture play such an important part in addressing many community needs and issues and I am delighted that Vibrant Shropshire: a Cultural Compact secured the funding to help support so many different community focused arts projects.”
Vibrant Shropshire: a Cultural Compact has received £163,950 from the UK Government funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, distributed by Shropshire Council.
Vibrant Shropshire Funded Projects included the following.
Art Shack – A series of creative workshops at ArtShack, culminating in an exhibition of participants’ work at the Bear Steps Gallery in Shrewsbury.
Arts for Health – Funding for a Wellbeing Art Group to support users of the mental health service. The art group takes place weekly at the English Bridge Workshop in Shrewsbury and is run by professional artists. The group aims to introduce a range of art techniques and methods to participants, to learn new skills, improve self-esteem and a sense of achievement in a safe and welcoming environment.
Bishops Castle Walking Festival – ‘A Celebration in the Countryside’ — to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Bishops Castle Walking Festival. The programme of activity includes a series of walks for people living with dementia or mental health issues, tree planting, a heritage exhibition, a poet in residence and training.
Broseley Cinema – A community weekend Film Festival in the Birch Meadow community centre.
Culturekind Chinese Community – A Chinese festival in Oswestry and performances for Shrewsbury Multi Culture funday offering workshops in Kungfu, Chinese dance, Chinese arts and crafts, lantern making and more.
Designs in Mind – Free community creative arts wellbeing workshops for mothers living with perinatal mental health challenges. The workshops will generate artwork that will be developed into a specific ‘Mindful Mothers’ product to be retailed on their website and in their shop in Oswestry.
Gather – Gather, a coworking space in Ludlow, will provide educational creative programming to people of all ages. This will include clubs, workshops, events and youth programmes.
Ginger & Spice Festival – A series of interactive healthy cooking workshops for young people, multicultural and artistic street performance and interactive musical workshops for young people, all of which are part of a wider festival.
Jenna Blair Yoga – Connecting Rural Communities Through Gentle Yoga: inclusive yoga sessions for rural communities in Shropshire to access free of charge.
MediaActive Projects CIC – A creative commissioning programme for young people aged 14 to 25 based around film production. The group will work with industry experts, building skills and talent. The group will explore filmmaking, producing, music making, editing, animation and research in order to create their own film.
And Creative sessions and consultation with older people that will underpin the relaunch of Creative Conversations, a Shropshire wide partnership programme that celebrates age through creative and cultural activity, promoting health and wellbeing.
Music Anywhere – A range of music workshops to support the health and wellbeing of the community. These workshops include song writing, singalongs, instrument lessons and mentoring for young people. The workshops are run with the aim of overcoming loneliness and improving poor health.
Hill Stories – The Hill Stories project aims to offer local young people the chance to experience, and engage with, some of the aspects of the Shropshire Hills; to take part in conservation activities; and to work with professional artists to develop their skills and share their creative responses.
Oswestry Community Action (Qube) – Get Arty in Nature – arts and nature activities for young people living in rural communities and/or where their families have been impacted by an early cancer diagnosis.
Oswestry Memorial Hall – A series of introductory activities based around the themes ‘move, make and mend’ at the Oswestry Memorial Hall. The activities will connect young and old to enhance participants sense of self, place and purpose.
Parent Carer Council (PACC) – Art-related projects within the Buddies and Healthy Lives Programmes. These art activities will include a photography project and culminate in an exhibition in Shrewsbury.
Pentabus Theatre – Funding to develop the Theatre’s work with schools to develop a theatre production over a half term. The theatre production will then be shared with peers/parents at the end of the process.
Rural Art Hub – A programme of creative consultation workshops with practitioners and the public to consider the development of a new studio as a shared collaborative space for local practitioners and for the development of creative projects.
The Possibility Machine is an art cart touring the streets of Oswestry over the summer providing a range of free pop-up creative activities for all combining street art, play, climate action and story.
Shirefolk – Funding to support The Bridgnorth Music and Arts Festival, and A Wizards Birthday in Bridgnorth; a family focused, free to attend community event with crafts and activities.
Shrewsbury Arts Trail – A series of art workshops aimed at overcoming barriers to participation delivered as part of the annual Shrewsbury Arts Trail. The workshops focused on working with families and schools. Activities were delivered at Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery and community groups to develop a community exhibition as part of the Arts Trail.
Shropshire Festivals – Funding to support a series of community activities and performances at Shrewsbury Food Festival. These include Band Stand performances from community partners, musical instrument have-a-go sessions and workshops for children.
Shropshire Hills Landscape Partnership – Green woodworking crafts delivered in a therapeutic outdoor setting to improve mental health and wellbeing in young people.
Shropshire Youth Theatre – A Youth Fringe Festival in Shrewsbury organised by young people and featuring performances from young people. The festival took place across community venues in Shrewsbury, featuring a youth forum working with arts organisations to deliver and develop youth focused activity.
Shropshire Inclusive Dance – A programme of SEND weekly classes and new performances. The weekly classes culminated in a Summer Celebration event at the Theatre Severn in Shrewsbury.
Stage Five Theatre – A combination of drama activities for young people, including stage craft and performances.
Upstart Project – Young people explore Shropshire’s cultural offer and learn to create reviews (either written or on video) which they publish on the online magazine, Voice.
Further information
For interviews with the Board Members of the Cultural Compact or project managers contact communications@shropshire.gov.uk.
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills. For more information, visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-shared-prosperity-fund-prospectus
Vibrant Shropshire: a Cultural Compact is supported by
Logos of organisations supporting the Vibrant Shropshire: a Cultural Compact project
