A new ‘Culture Hub’ will be coming to Surrey after funding of £399,000 was secured from Arts Council England.
Surrey County Council (SCC), Spelthorne Borough Council (SBC), Ashford Youth Club and Artswork worked together in a new partnership to obtain the funding.
The two-year project aims to bridge the gap between creative education and employment in the area and create a step change in how young people design, engage with, work in and enjoy culture in the community.
Using Staines’ new flagship SCC library, which is set to open in spring or summer next year. The Staines Culture Hub will establish a programme of creative activities and performances, in partnership with a wide range of organisations.
It will provide accessible pathways into the arts, support improved wellbeing and contribute to the cultural, social and economic growth in the area.
Project highlights include:
Establishment of a regular Youth Collective of 10 – 18-year-olds to gain experience in leadership, event production, arts programming and design
Bespoke training for library staff and young people by Artswork, to support youth led delivery of events
A 22-month programme of library events engaging more than 1,000 young people in creative taster sessions and short courses
Arts performances and a workshop programme across the wider Spelthorne area, including £1-2k for commissions from local emerging artists
Schools programme partnering 10 schools and settings with creative organisations to engage 1,650 children and young people through co-designed arts activities.
“Creative Arts projects to be funded provide a safe environment for us young people to be involved in the creative world,” said Mira, a 14-year-old budding filmmaker from Staines.
“They will help jumpstart our future career options and let us try different areas. They will provide us with entertaining activities and we hope to learn skills that we don’t even know we need.
“We recently had a flavour of this through a funded film making project which opened opportunities for 30 local young people – this new funding can only expand such opportunities to many more.
“Love that they want to involve us in the planning!”
The programme has been developed to address needs identified in the SCC Community Vision, Health and Wellbeing Strategy, Surrey Skills plan, SBC Corporate Plan and SCC Libraries and Cultural Strategy.
It will build on last year’s Surrey Youth Arts and Culture Festival. Which delivered more than 30 activities, by over 25 organisations and engaged 1,295 young people.
It has also been informed by SBC and Ashford Youth Club’s Kick-Start Your Creativity programme and their respective Arts & Culture and Youth Surveys.
In these surveys 59 per cent of children and young people in Spelthorne felt they were not asked their opinion on local arts.
The project has also received match funding, and in-kind support from SBC, Artswork, SCC and other organisations. Bringing the total value of the project to more than £500,000.
To keep up to date with activities taking place as part of the programme, visit www.cultureboxsurrey.org.uk.