06/04/04 - Cabinet makes £263,500 support for culture and arts

Cumbria County Council’s Cabinet today backed a £263,500 grants package for 20 arts and cultural schemes. 

The decision still has to be cleared by full Council but Cabinet believed the package will help promote a strong network of businesses in the creative industries and maximise the draw down of European and other funding.

Among those set to benefit from the Council’s Cultural Sector Grants are the Theatre by the Lake (£35,000) Cumbria Art in Education (£34,500) and the Brewery Arts Centre (£25,000).  Prism Arts and Disability gets £8,500, Cumbria Cultural Skills Partnership gets £8,000, Lakeland Arts Trust gets £2,000, East Cumbria Countryside Project gets £1,500, and the Hadrian’s Wall Tourism Partnership £1,000.

Additionally the County has been working in partnership with Arts Council England North West to agree a local authority strategic fund securing £166,944 over two years.  Across the County this will support the expansion of rural touring in village halls, a reader development post in libraries, a new dance initiative and provide support for voluntary cultural organisations.

Councillor Tim Heslop, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Culture, said:

“The Cultural Sector Grants improve the quality of life of the people of Cumbria by providing opportunities to participate in the arts and culture. We have tried to ensure that the projects we are supporting address one of the three themes emerging from the Council’s Cultural Strategy – creating opportunities, investment and regeneration, and quality of life and access.  We also act as an important catalyst because our support enables many of the projects to draw in extra external funding from a wide range of sources. The County Council is proud to support both large and small arts and culture projects in Cumbria.”