East Riding Libraries and Arts Service successful in bid for Arts Council England funding
Wed 9th November 2022
East Riding Libraries and the council’s Arts Development Team have been successful in their application to Arts Council England to become a National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) from 2023-26. This means significant investment in arts and culture across East Riding Libraries.
The NPO status will provide £165,000 per year for three years (a total of £495,000) to:
- increase the scale and ambition of the cultural programme in Libraries
- develop libraries into vibrant community hubs
- continue the innovative public health work in local libraries
- build the reputation of East Riding Libraries, putting them on the national map.
The funding will enable a host of new creative projects within libraries, including new performance and workshops for early years, children, young people and families. There will be a collaboration with Mikron Theatre for a new project that will create work with the mobile library service, and continued partnership work with She Productions for their successful Christmas shows in libraries.
The funding package will also see a new partnership with ARCADE & KIT Theatre for an immersive theatre and literacy project, and a producing hub will be developed to involve a local community in shaping future cultural provision.
Councillor Mike Medini, portfolio holder for culture, leisure, libraries and customer service, said : “I am delighted that we have secured investment from Arts Council England for this exciting new programme of activities to take place across the East Riding. This will bring direct benefits for our residents, visitors, libraries and local artists.
“This programme of work aligns with our corporate priorities, helping children and young people achieve, and empowering and supporting communities. One way in which we can all come together to be engaged, educated, and entertained is to experience the great wealth of culture and creativity to be offered by this work.”
Paul Bellotti, executive director of Communities and Environment, added: “Grants like this are very competitive, so it’s a real mark of quality that we’ve been successful, and a fantastic vote of confidence for our Libraries and Arts Development teams.”
Dominic Gibbons, Chair, HEY Creative, Hull and East Riding Cultural Compact, said : “This is truly great news and is an exciting opportunity to bring more arts and culture to the East Riding and to invest in the creative economy of our region. Huge congratulations to the team who have worked so hard on this application.”
