Art in empty spaces: turning vacant spaces into creative places
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.
