Hucknall to play key role in new £1m arts funding scheme for Ashfield

The money will be the larget amount of funding ever awarded for creative and cultural activity in Ashfield where investment has been historically low.

And Hucknall is set to play a big part in it.

Ashfield Council, together with the Ashfield Arts Partnership is launching Ashfield Creates – a three-year transformational programme to inspire and sustain the cultural and creative fabric of Ashfield.

The programme is supported by Arts Council England (ACE), which has awarded £1m through its place partnership programme, which uses money from the National Lottery.

Ashfield is an area that ACE has identified as having great potential but, where historically, investment and engagement has been too low.

Ashfield Creates will activate the towns and neighbourhoods with creative activities, events and experiences through establishing ‘local creative hubs’.

One of these hubs will be in Hucknall, with two more in Kirkby and Sutton and a fourth travelling across Ashfield’s villages.

The programme aims to engage more than 160,000 live audience members, more than 14,000 participants, 250 volunteers and more than 500 creative practitioners.

The scheme will be led by the residents of Ashfield, working with local engagement producers to plan regular participatory activities across dance, art, music and craft.

The programme will include weekly local events and performances and a yearly community arts festival, as well as large-scale events

and festivals working with national and international artists.

The initial three-years of the programme are part of a larger 10-year arts, cultural and creative strategy for Ashfield, commissioned by the council and Ashfield Arts Partnership (AAP)

Across the summer, AAP will be talking to people at local events to find out what they want to see and do and to help shape the programme of events and activities which are due to start in the autumn.

Coun Jason Zadrozny, council leader, said: “I am absolutely thrilled that we have secured this investment.

"It’s fantastic that ACE is entrusting us with such a large grant to achieve truly transformational change."

Peter Knott, ACE midlands area director, said: “We know the positive impact that cultural investment has on places, such as regeneration, growth, employment and happiness, so we’re delighted that local people will have more opportunities to experience, connect and take part in creative and cultural activities where they live.”

Louise Knott, vice-principal at West Nottinghamshire College in Mansfield, speaking on behalf of AAP, said: “This is an amazing achievement for Ashfield and is testament to the incredible partnership that has put such a strong bid together.

"These are exciting times indeed for the district and I can’t wait to see our vision come to life over the next three years.”

Edward Boott, artistic director and chief executive of Nonsuch Studios, who co-ordinated the bid efforts, commented: “This is an incredible achievement by the people and communities of Ashfield – we can’t wait to see what we can create together.”

Ashfield-born playwright and screenwriter James Graham said: “I can't begin to express my delight that the area is to receive this cultural boost.

"Congratulations to the dedicated team who brought this project to life, I can't wait to see the work begin."