Arts Council England’s £500,000
initiative to help artists turn vacant high street shops into
artistic and vibrant places is now open for applications. Artists
are now able to apply for grants to support artistic activity that
will transform empty retail units into creative spaces - anything
from an art gallery to recording studios or family arts workshops -
which the whole community can enjoy.
The programme, ‘Art in empty spaces’,
which was announced in April, will run in partnership with the
Department for Communities and Local Government’s scheme ‘Looking
After Our Town Centres’ which will invest £3 million to
reinvigorate ailing town centres during the recession. ‘Art in
empty spaces’ is funded with an additional £500,000 of National
Lottery funds available through Arts Council England’s Grants for
the arts programme. This extra money will be set aside from the
core Grants for the arts funds and used specifically for artistic
activity in vacant premises in town centres.
The money is intended to enable
artists to connect their work with even more people in fresh and
imaginative ways, despite the current tough economic climate.
Priority will be given to projects where the activity begins within
three months of a grant being awarded. The role the arts can play
in economic regeneration can already be seen across the country,
where the innovative use of empty shops is already helping to
prevent high street decline.
Art Works for Business is very keen
to support the utilisation of empty units by artists given
its potential for regeneration and revitalisation, and
has already begun to identify existing opportunities in a number of
the county's town centres. As such, we will continue to
work closely with artists and businesses to ensure that
empty units in Buckinghamshire are put to good use, whilst
maximisng artists' access to new and exciting markets.
The 'Art in empty spaces'
fund aims to support projects that have received partnership
funding from one of the 57 DCLG selected local authority areas as a
priority - Buckinghamshire is not designated as one of
these. However, Arts Council England will accept applications
for funding from any location across the UK.
More information about the scheme and
how to apply for funding can be found at: www.artscouncil.org.uk/artinemptyspaces
Alternatively, please contact the Art Works for Business
Coordinator for more information on general empty unit
opportunities in Aylesbury, High Wycombe, Buckingham and Great
Missenden.
