Cultural organisations can bid for cultural funding in Essex

Essex arts and cultural organisations can bid for strategic funding from Essex County Council’s Cultural Strategic Fund 2017.
Grants of £2,500 and above are awarded annually to organisations and groups whose work has strategic cultural benefits for the Essex community and who can demonstrate that their work contributes to the strengthening of the cultural infrastructure of the county.
The scheme is open for applications until 22 May.
Hadleigh-based Open Arts were awarded £14,240 through the scheme in 2016 to support their work helping people improve and maintain their mental health through creative learning sessions with professional artists on visual arts, drama, music and film.
As a result of their work in the last three years, 85 per cent of Open Arts course participants who had previously been admitted to hospital were not readmitted.
Jo Keay, Open Arts Manager said: “The continuing support of Essex County Council has been a great benefit to the Open Arts project. The funding provided by the ECC Strategic Fund has contributed greatly to the running costs of the Open Arts studios as well as our art courses, which help to improve the lives of a wide range of people throughout Essex.”
Harlow Art Trust received £13,350 to widen its work with the local community, young people and businesses, using their Strategic Grant to deliver expert workshops with residents, families, schools and young people on such diverse topics as sculpture, dance, printing, set design and film model making.
The Trust’s sculpture collection includes works by world-renowned artists such as Auguste Rodin, Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, Lynn Chadwick, and Ralph Brown.

http://www.essex.gov.uk/News/Pages/Cultural-organisations-can-bid-for-cultural-funding.aspx