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The Millennium Commission and Arts Council England announced today (23 July 2004) that £19.5 million of National Lottery money has been awarded to support cultural programmes across 19 areas of the UK. The funding is through the Urban Cultural Programme, a partnership between the Millennium Commission and Arts Council England. This new initiative builds on the successful European Capital of Culture 2008 competition run in 2003 (won by Liverpool) which generated huge support in all sectors of the community. From the Highlands to Brighton and Hove and from Belfast and Cardiff to Norwich, over the next two years the UK will see a host of cultural activities [for further information on winning bids see notes]. The Rt. Hon Tessa Jowell MP, Chair of The Millennium Commission and Secretary of State for Culture said, “The European City of Culture competition stimulated the creation of a wonderful range of creative and ambitious plans in cities across the UK. The Lottery funded Urban Cultural Programme will mean that many of those aspirations can become reality. “Our arts are world - class. They fire our children's imagination, promote social inclusion, celebrate our cultural diversity and help driving the regeneration of our cities. The National Lottery is approaching its 10th Birthday and it is absolutely right that we should support the creativity and diverse traditions of communities across the UK.” Sir Christopher Frayling, Chair of Arts Council England said, “The Arts Council has invested in the regeneration of many towns and cities in England and we know that culture-led regeneration enriches lives and raises aspirations. The search for the Capital of Culture 2008 created an extraordinary momentum and I am delighted that through this programme, we can continue to build on that legacy which will benefit communities across the country for generations to come.” For further information or interviews please contact the Millennium Commission Press Office on 020 7880 2007 or Arts Council England Press Office on 020 7973 6459 www.millennium.gov.uk
www.artscouncil.org.uk -ends-
Notes to Editors
1. Applications from consortia were invited to bid for funding through the Urban Cultural Programme in March 2004. Each consortium had to include a local authority with a population of at least 120,000 (105,000 in Northern Ireland). Applicants awarded funding receive up to 50% of the total costs of their programmes with the rest being secured from other sources. Activities have to take place between 2004-2006.
2. The Millennium Commission is distributing a lifetime budget of £2 billion of National Lottery money to projects, people and celebrations. Its income from the Lottery ceased in August 2001 and its work will be complete by 2006. 3. Arts Council England is the national development agency for the arts. Between 2003 and 2006 it will invest £2 billion of public funds in the arts in England, including funding from the National Lottery. 4. The following grants have been awarded: Belfast 1,350,000
Birmingham 2,100,000
Blackburn and Darwen 500,000
Bradford (five cities, with Leeds, Sheffield, York, Hull) 1,750,000
Brighton and Hove 750,000
Bristol 1,550,000
Canterbury and East Kent 750,000
Cardiff 1,300,000
Highland 500,000
Liverpool 1,200,000
London Leaside (Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets) 750,000
London South East (Lewisham, Greenwich) 500,000
Manchester 500,000
Newcastle and Gateshead 2,750,000
Norwich 500,000
Oxford 600,000
South Lanarkshire 700,000
Swansea 650,000
Three Cities (Derby, Leicester, Nottingham) 800,000
5. Information on the programmes:
Belfast £1,350,000
The funding will be supporting the first year of a two-year programme of activities. It is co-ordinated by Belfast City Council and will build on existing festivals throughout the city as well as introducing new activities. A united vision of the city will be promoted. There will be an arts festival for children, a programme of public commissions and home grown talent will be celebrated. Birmingham £2,100,000
This is a two-year programme of activities co-ordinated by Birmingham City Council and involves a huge range of arts and cultural organisations in Birmingham and the surrounding region. The programme is focused on strengthening existing connections and establishing new ones. It will include new works for theatre, dance, opera and orchestral music, contemporary art outside dedicated arts spaces, and world class opera at grass roots level. Blackburn and Darwen £ 500,000
This programme will be delivered by Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council. It will celebrate links between Asia and Blackburn and involve a major trans-Asian art exhibition. Existing festivals will be enhanced, a programme of artists’ residencies is planned and specific communities will have the opportunity to develop their virtual and media activities skills. Bradford (five cities, with Leeds, Sheffield, York, Hull) £1,750,000
This is a two-year programme of activity, involving a consortium of five key cities, co-ordinated by Bradford City Council. It will involve a series of exhibitions, commissions, festivals and performances and a network of cultural animateurs – ‘Lamplighters’ – will be established to promote community cohesion, civic pride and ownership of projects. The programme focuses on celebrating local cultural talent and encouraging personal creativity in young people and others. Brighton and Hove £750,000
This programme will be co-ordinated by Brighton and Hove City Council and spans a two-year programme of activity. It includes a range of festivals, commissions and opportunities for participation across all communities, aiming to tackle barriers and offer accessible opportunities. Activities will include a series of arts and health activities, a programme of public art and a range of opportunities encouraging first-time participation.
A number of activities are planned as collaborative ventures with the other recipients of Urban cultural programme funding in the south east – Canterbury and Oxford. Bristol £1,550,000
The programme is being organised by Bristol Creative Development Partnership. It is a two-year programme based on the theme of Creative Bristol and activities include Electric Pavilion, involving an online project that creates a virtual centre for creative enquiry and illumination; Creative Renewal marking the redevelopment of the Arnolfini,and the City Museum and Arts Gallery; and Brunel 200 celebrating the 200th anniversary of the birth of Isambard Kingdom Brunel. In addition a network of arts workers in Neighbourhood Renewal Areas will develop projects rooted in those communities. Canterbury and East Kent £750,000
This programme is being led by Canterbury City Council working in co-operation with the four district councils of East Kent. It involves an eighteen-month programme featuring a culturally diverse music programme, a story telling project to address issues surrounding asylum, a literature and dance event to raise awareness of Black History Month and a community opera telling the story of the Kent Coalfields. There are a number of activities linking with other European countries involving both established partnerships and new connections with the new accession states.
A number of activities are planned as collaborative ventures with the other recipients of Urban cultural programme funding in the south east – Brighton and Hove, and Oxford. Cardiff £1,300,000
This is a twelve month programme organised by Cardiff City Council linked to the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Cardiff as a capital city. The programme will be a year of events including world-class touring theatre; spectacular events in Cardiff Bay; local regeneration projects and large scale participation projects. Highland £500,000
This is an eighteen month programme organised by Highland Council with activities in Inverness and throughout the region. The programme of events will include a traditional music festival with a youth and community focus; community arts events and touring theatre; a cutting edge urban centre focused arts festival and a youth arts development programme leading to a youth performing arts festival. Liverpool £1,200,000
This proposal is co-ordinated by Liverpool City Council working with the Liverpool Culture Company – the organising body for the Capital of Culture 2008. This programme is particularly concerned with expanding the capacity and reach of the cultural organisations in Liverpool within the overall themes of Create and Participate. A second strand is the theme of ‘Around the City in Eight Days’ in which 80 artists/cultural organisations work with 80 different community groups to develop projects or journeys exploring stories of Liverpool. London Leaside £750,000
This programme is being led by Leaside Regeneration and covers Hackney, Newham and Tower Hamlets. It is a two-year programme that will celebrate the three participating boroughs’ unique cultural diversity with high profile events and performances. These will include visual arts and performance festivals all of which will involve mass participation, engaging artists and communities in the development and promotion of local street markets and cultural quarters. London South East £500,000
This programme is led by the London Borough of Lewisham in co-operation with Greenwich. It involves a seventeen month programme that will celebrate cultural diversity with events such as Lewisham People’s Day, Carnival 365 and Black History Month and a new urban youth cultural programme. Over 200 community groups will be involved in the delivery of the programme. Manchester £500,000
Manchester City Council has taken the lead in developing plans for a major new International Cultural Festival to be held in July 2006. It will showcase local artists and communities alongside international artists and companies. The programme will celebrate Manchester’s innovation, past, present and future. Newcastle and Gateshead £2,750,000
Culture10 is a ten-year cultural programme being organised by the Newcastle Gateshead Initiative. The two years covered by this grant celebrate Gardens, Fashion and Design and The River, The Sea and Music. Activities include a river festival hosting the Tall Ships Race; numerous community participation events for arts and for sport; and a major celebration of new cultural buildings in the area with a series of trailblazing and spectacular launch events. Norwich £500,000
This programme is being co-ordinated by Norwich City Council on behalf of the Creative City Consortium. It involves an eighteen month programme of activities which will include major new developments in visual arts and creative writing. Film and multi media activities are planned, as well as events involving installations and performances, geared to the animation of public spaces and non-traditional spaces for arts. Oxford £600,000
The programme is led by Oxford Inspires, an organisation established to promote collaborative action across the cultural sector in Oxfordshire. It is based around the theme of Evolving City and is a key part of a longer strategy of growth for festivals in the city and county. The programme includes a year long series of activities involving talks; exhibitions; displays; events; youth music projects; carnival; a science festival; and an art exhibition specifically designed to highlight Oxford’s links with Europe.
A number of activities are planned as collaborative ventures with the other recipients of Urban cultural programme funding in the south east – Brighton and Hove, and Canterbury. South Lanarkshire £700,000
This is an eighteen month programme of events organised by South Lanarkshire Council. New and refurbished arts venues in the area will act as a platform for projects such as Light Up Lanarkshire; Contemporary Culture Exhibition; Here’s Tae Us and other festivals. Special projects will focus on those most at risk of social exclusion – children and young people at risk, individuals with physical disabilities and learning needs. Swansea £650,000
City and County of Swansea is co-ordinating this eighteen month programme of interlinked cultural events and festivals. The regular Swansea carnival route will be extended to involve other communities. A series of neighbourhood festivals, parades and celebrations will also take place, and other existing activities will be extended and developed. Three Cities (Derby, Leicester, Nottingham) £800,000
This is a new collaboration between the cities of Derby, Leicester and Nottingham and centres on the range of festivals already established in each city. The aim is to achieve better co-ordination of these events with common thematic programming and new commissions from local, regional and national artists shared across festivals in each city. New festivals are also being planned, focusing on themes such as Indian film; Jazz, Blues & Roots music; the urban arts of young people; and literature.
Millennium Commission 26th-July-2004
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