Royal Greenwich funding available for local Art groups

posted by WO Staff | Woolwich

Since 2013 over £71,000 has been awarded to local arts groups by the Royal Borough of Greenwich, from its Community Arts Fund, helping local community groups to put on exhibitions, installations, music, dance and theatre performances and to get local people involved in arts projects.

The Community Art Fund forms part of the Council’s overall support to the Arts and Culture sector of £459,900 each year for the next four years. It amounts to over £1.8 million, and makes Royal Greenwich one of the most supportive council’s in the country for the arts.

Organisations to recently benefit from funding include Blackheath Halls, who were awarded £6,000 for their Children’s Opera Project, running from February 2015 to June 2015.

The annual community festival - Plumstead Make Merry - was also awarded £2,665 to support some of the artists performing at this year’s festival, which is due to take place on Plumstead Common on 6th June 2015.

The 2015 fund is now open for grants applications of between £100 - £10,000 for community groups and organisations wishing to work with professional artists and engage the local community on a diverse range of participatory arts projects.

The Royal Borough is committed to working with organisations of all sizes including smaller groups and the public to increase participation in the arts.

In the last year 14 projects have received Community Arts Fund money with over 108 workshops held across the borough and 950 people taking part, reaching an audience of over 11,000 people.

Seven local arts organisations were also funded to produce workshops and performances at the Tall Ships Festival attended by over a million people. Projects funded can take place between now and the 29th February 2016.

Councillor Miranda Williams, Royal Borough of Greenwich; cabinet member for culture and creative industries said: “The Royal Borough supports and funds arts and cultural organisations to deliver a wide range of learning and participation programmes throughout the year," adding that as a result, "there are a growing number of successful projects which have been delivered as part of the Royal Borough’s Community Arts Funding."

She said "We want to encourage local arts groups to apply and make the most of this exciting opportunity. The funding forms part of our overall strategy to build on our renowned reputation as a top destination for arts and culture.”

For more information on the Community Arts Fund and how to apply:

* visit www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/arts.

* email Artsgreenwich@royalgreenwich.gov.uk

* or call Julian Jonas from the Arts & Culture Office on 020 8921 8390.