Two days after news of funding cuts the Arts Council have announced they are investing an extra £44.5 million in artists and arts organisations over the next two years to help maintain artistic excellence during the economic downturn.
The initiatives include:
- Sustain – a new £40 million open application fund for arts organisations suffering as a result of the recession.
- £500,000 support for the Town Centres Initiative to enable more artistic activities to take place in empty retail spaces.
- A £4 million increase in the Grants for the arts budget over the next two years
Hundreds of artists across the country are already helping to reinvigorate ailing town centres by taking over empty retail space for creative activities and it is hoped this new fund, which will award grants of £1,000 to £10,000 will enable many more to do so.
One example of this is currently happening in York. York Museums Trust, supported by Visit York, are piloting a digital design programme to which will look to dress empty shop windows with external, high quality vinyls which will feature contemporary digital designs that respond to their setting. More at BoxerCreative. A while back I also wrote about similar ideas from Council leaders in Wolverhampton.
D’log :: blogging since 2000 » £44.5m boost to UK arts funding
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Creative Wolverhampton » Blog Archive » Arts Council funding cut by £4m
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