People dancing in the street to pop-up music festivals; lessons in woodcraft, and artists visiting schools to share their ideas and talent. This is what Salford can expect after the city won a £750,000 grant.
The Lowry Centre, since it opened in 2000 has provided a rich menu of plays, ballet, comedy, and performances by musical artists as diverse as Petula Clark and Nils Lofgren. It also houses the largest collection of works in the world by L S Lowry.
But the aim of the grant provided by the Arts Council of England National Lottery Projects is to spread art and fun across all the town's of the borough. It will see events staged in public parks, and high streets, as well as at the former docklands.
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For three years activities will be held. They will include:
- Teaching young people coppice crafts at RHS Brigdewater in Worsley - learning how to use traditonal tools and techniques to make items in wood. This ranges from sowing acorns gathered from woods across the UK, to participating in practical workshops, such as wood turning, charcoal burning, timber making and woodworking.
- The organisers of the successful Sounds from The Other City festival which staged performaces by bands at venues in and around Chapel Street and at Islington Mill will put on mini pop-up music festivals in different neighbourhoods.
- The We Invented The Weekend free, family festival staged at Salford Quays and Media City in June this year - and featuring DJ and presenter, Craig Charles, CBeebies, a junior art competition at The Lowry, a community clothing swap, gardening masterclassses, plus input from the Lancashire Cricket Foundation and Manchester United Youth Foundation, will return.
- Local artists and creative groups will be invited to develop and test new event ideas through a ‘Make it in Salford’ programme and schools in the city will get creative through new artist commissions.
- A team of "Creative Explorers" will be supported by art compay, Walk the Plank, to develop skills, knowledge and experience in outdoor & public arts and to create and deliver their own creative events outside in parks and green spaces.
The funding follows a bid submitted by Salford Culture and Place Partnership, led by Salford City Council. It will now see the partnership working with cultural organisations, creative groups and residents across the city.
Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett said: “This is great news for the city and our residents. We have a thriving cultural sector in the city doing great work all-year round, through our world-class cultural institutions, like The Lowry theatre and art gallery, Media City, the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, and RHS Garden Bridgewater.
“The city's cultural sector is also comprised of fantastic arts organisations such as Walk the Plank, Islington Mill and From The Other, not forgetting those organisations that play an instrumental role in delivering on our creative health ambitions such as START Inspiring Minds and DIY Theatre Company.
“The successful bid and funding from the Arts Council England will enable the city’s rich, vibrant and unique cultural ecology to further our commitments to animating the city and place-making, making Salford a destination and a place where artists, creatives and makers from all walks of life can live, work and make their work, whilst also ensuring that art, creativity and making are accessible for everyone in the city.
“This crucial funding, with on-going financial challenges in local government, will now mean that plans for a programme of events, developed with partners and residents, can now be brought to fruition for everyone to experience.
“The funding will also allow us to build on the progress we've made in animating the city following the COVID-19 pandemic, whilst also reflecting and learning from our inaugural Festival of Free Time: We Invented The Weekend. With this positive news and our city's recent cultural successes, it really does promise to be an exciting time to write the next chapter of Salford’s cultural history.”
Jen Cleary, Director North, Arts Council England said: “I’m very pleased that we have awarded £749,600 through our National Lottery Projects Grants to support this ambitious creative programme in Salford.
“It is a fantastic opportunity to enable the city’s artists and creatives to share more of their work in public spaces such as parks and high streets for the benefit of local residents and visitors. It’s an exciting time for Salford and I’m looking forward to experiencing some of the programme over the next three years.”
