Grants are now available to support the development of existing cultural or heritage sites and to fund creative programming across Herefordshire.
Herefordshire Council has been allocated £7.3m to help improve pride in place and increase life chances, investing in communities and place, supporting local business, people and skills up to March 2025.
Two grants schemes have now opened to help build on our county’s incredible cultural offer and make Herefordshire a better place to live, visit or work.
The Cultural Development grant scheme is designed to help existing local cultural, historic and heritage institutions to strengthen their operation, enhance their visitor offer and put on more programming specifically linked to their sites or assets.
The Cultural Programming grant schemes is designed to support the general delivery of local arts, culture, heritage and creative activities across Herefordshire. The scheme aims to increase engagement and vitalise communities through a vibrant creative programme.
These two new cultural grant schemes follow the first Events and Festivals grant scheme launched in May 2023.
Cllr Graham Biggs, Cabinet Member Economy and Growth, said: “After a successful Events and Festivals grant scheme launch, we are now delighted to provide two more grant schemes that support our county’s incredible culture and heritage.
“Our cultural offer and creative industries are not only vital to Herefordshire’s local economy, but help to improve the wellbeing of our residents and build pride in place. The grants respond to local needs, challenges and opportunities, and will give the local cultural sector the tools to improve their amenities further, put on more programmes and activities, and engage more people. This is a fantastic opportunity to access valuable funding, so I would urge anybody interested to take advantage today.”
Applications for the first round of both cultural grants schemes must be submitted by 5pm on 3 August 2023.
The Herefordshire Sustainable Growth Strategy Board (HSGSB) will be the partnership/advisory board for the UKSPF within Herefordshire. The board has overseen the development of the investment plan, and will monitor and evaluate the delivery of the programme.
The Board includes representatives from the county's business sectors, public sector organisations, geographies, the voluntary sector, communities, and the chairs of other local stakeholder groups such as the Herefordshire Business Board, Skills Board and Climate and Nature Partnership.
More information, including how to apply, can be found on our website.
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The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a central pillar of the UK government’s Levelling Up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills. For more information, visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-shared-prosperity-fund-prospectus