Wakefield Cultural Consortium awarded £223,000 from Arts Council England
12 Jan 2017
Wakefield Cultural Consortium has been awarded £223,000 from Arts Council England’s Cultural Destinations initiative.
The Hepworth Wakefield is part of the partnership of 16 local cultural venues, businesses and tourism organisations who have teamed up to help promote Wakefield as one of Yorkshire’s leading cultural destinations.
The secured funds will embed culture within the district’s ambitions for economic growth, jobs and improved skills and encourage visitors to participate in and enjoy the city’s unique heritage and a growing cultural offer – from festivals to cutting edge contemporary art.
The consortium comprises: Beam, National Coal Mining Museum, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Nostell, Wakefield Council, Theatre Royal Wakefield, Wakefield College, The Hepworth Wakefield, Wakefield Bondholder Scheme, Cognitiv, Wakefield Arts Partnership, The Art House, Faceless Arts, One to One Development, Unity Works and Xscape.
Over £3.2m has been awarded from the Cultural Destinations fund. This initiative was developed by the Arts Council as a result of a three year partnership with VisitEngland, the national tourist board. The programme aims to increase the reach of those experiencing arts and culture, the sustainability of cultural organisations in local destinations, and to encourage the public and private sector to work together to support the growth of the local visitor economy.
“We are so pleased to have been successful in our bid for Cultural Destinations funding. Wakefield is only two hours from London and punches well above its weight in relation to cultural and tourist attractions, the support of the Arts Council will enable us to start a proactive conversation with our regional and national audiences and ensure that Wakefield builds on its strengths and expands its visitor economy.”
Jenny Layfield, Wakefield Cultural Consortium
