Worcestershire County Council Arts Service

Worcestershire County Council’s Arts Service was established in April 1998 following Local Government Re-organisation (LGR). The Arts Service provides the following support to County Council departments and the wider community:

'Grants to the arts' scheme

‘Strategic revenue’ grants for organisations that make a significant contribution to the county’s economy, ‘inroads’ arts grants for development projects, and ‘first base’ community arts grants.

Funding and applications for two of the grant programmes are now open. Please read the guidance notes before completing the application forms below.
Guidelines and Criteria for Grants  (24.56 KB)

Strategic Grants: Open for large-scale professional arts organisations and venues and will go towards core costs. Awards will be for £5,000 plus.
Application form for Strategic Grants  (228.00 KB)

Inroads Grants: Open for one-off projects for professional arts organisations and individuals. Awards will be from £500 to £5,000.
Application form for Inroads Grants  (185.00 KB)

The closure date for both grant applications is Friday 30^th January, 2009.

The County Council will be running training sessions to help organisations and individuals with the application forms and the funding process. The dates are:

• Tuesday 6^th January, 2009 from 9am - 12noon at County Hall
• Wednesday 7^th January, 2009 from 12.30pm - 3.30pm at County Hall

If you would like to attend these training sessions please contact Stephen Wilson, County Arts Officer, on 01905 765754 or e-mail swilson@worcestershire.gov.uk, who will reserve you a place.

Information services

Dealing with arts related inquiries, providing advice, funding surgeries, county arts mailing list, arts / lottery information boxes in libraries, publications.

Helping people to network

The Arts Service currently manages:

• Worcestershire Arts Officers Group
• Worcestershire County Council Corporate Arts Group
• Worcestershire Arts Forum

Strategic planning

Writing Arts policies and strategies, and business planning.

Monitoring and Evaluation

Ensuring that the County Council consults with our partners, clients and service users, gathering statistical information, and assessing how well our services are delivered.

Development of arts in libraries programmes

Including exhibitions, performances, concerts, screenings, workshops, and artist residencies.

Advocacy

Speaking up for Arts in Worcestershire: within the County Council and beyond - locally, regionally , and nationally.

Projects

The Arts Service develops and manages:

• Arts workshops
• Artist residencies, and
• Long term programmes, such as the new Worcestershire Arts Marketing initiative.

Fundraising

Every year the Arts Service has to raise the majority of funds needed for Arts projects from a range of sources: Worcestershire County Council (non arts depts), District Councils, National Lottery, West Midlands Arts, charitable trusts and foundations, and business sponsorship.

Training

The Arts Service also provides Arts related training for arts staff, corporate partners and external groups.

For more information on any of the above please contact:

Stephen Wilson

County Arts Officer,
Cultural Services,
County Hall,
Spetchley Road,
Worcester WR5 2NP

Tel: 01905 765754

Fax: 01905 766930

email:swilson@worcestershire.gov.uk