The Hall for Cornwall is set to receive £282,240 from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to extend its “Community Culture Club” programme, making culture more accessible for those who don’t usually have the opportunity to participate.
The Community Culture Club builds on a five-year project, which saw 10,000 people from almost 200 Cornish community groups attend a theatre event for the first time.
As well as offering people from under represented communities their first theatre experience, participants will also be able to train, learn and make their own creative work. The idea is to level up culture in Cornwall including the creation of community shows.
Left to right: Councillor Louis Gardner, Portfolio holder for Economy; Levelling up minister Dehenna Davison; and Julie Caplin-Grey, deputy CEO, Hall for Cornwall
Julien Boast, CEO and Creative Director at Hall for Cornwall said:
“We’re thrilled to be able to continue broadening our ‘access for all’ mission with funding secured to enable thousands more people throughout Cornwall to access our cultural offer and experience theatre for the very first time.
“The support of the Shared Prosperity Fund will enable us to reactivate our hugely successful Community Culture Club which, with support from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, enabled us to support 10,000 people from nearly 200 Cornish community groups in attending the theatre for the first time. In a time of economic hardship, we want to extend our accessibility and go beyond the reach of our current £15 ticket scheme.”
Louis Gardner, Cornwall Council cabinet portfolio holder for economy, said:
“Through our Good Growth Investment Plan, we want to build on Cornwall’s strong theatre and performing arts industry, reach new audiences and create more year-round permanent jobs within the sector. The Community Culture Club will deliver on all of those ambitions by bringing the very best of the cultural offer locally to communities that have never experienced theatre before.”
The funding has been received from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, allocated from the Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Good Growth Fund’s Cultural Events and Talent Programme.
Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly has been allocated a total of £132m of Shared Prosperity Fund for local investment providing opportunities for communities and businesses and giving residents access to new jobs and training.
This announcement follows other successful bids for Shared Prosperity Funding from IntoBodmin and Golden Tree Productions, with all projects delivering outcomes that will strengthen the creative and cultural economy in Cornwall.
Organisations are being encouraged to review the funding opportunities available and submit applications that will create good growth and deliver lasting impact for Cornwall and Isles of Scilly. All current funding opportunities are available on the Good Growth website, with more being announced later in the year.
Story posted 8 February 2023