New funding benefits arts and cultural projects in Bristol

Bristol-based organisations are set to receive grants of £500-£5000 for cultural and arts activities across the city.

The Cultural Investment Programme Originators Fund aims to put art and culture at the heart of communities, with 18 organisations chosen to receive funding this year.

The fund was previously put on hold, due to challenges around delivering cultural activity during the Covid-19 pandemic, but the 25 projects selected last year have now received funding from Bristol City Council.

Cllr Craig Cheney, Deputy Mayor, said: ‘The vision for the Cultural Investment Programme is to make arts and culture accessible for all. The projects chosen will help develop Bristol’s reputation as one of the UK’s leading cultural cities, and organisers will work with communities to increase access to arts and culture.’

He added that they wanted to make the process as easy and accessible as possible this year, with the Council’s culture team reviewing the application process with support from an external group to simplify the way people had to apply.

The Council also held online networking sessions for potential applicants, to make sure everyone who wanted to could apply.

‘We received a very large number of applications, including many strong projects and ideas for making culture accessible for all in Bristol,’ said Cllr Craig Cheney.

Successful projects from this round of funding include Ad Infinitum’s ‘Extraordinary Wall of Silence’ Legacy Programme, which brings together D/deaf and hearing artists and supports the culture sector in improving access to theatre for the D/dead community, and the ‘Aan Dheelno! Let’s Play!’ project, which brings Somali community focused creative play workshops to families in Barton Hill.

The successful projects will receive funding for up to 12 months, starting last month and ending in May 2022.

One of last year’s selected projects, ‘Meadows to Meaders’, is a story-telling project that involves Southmead residents in scriptwriting, drama and production.

One of the Southmead residents involved in the project told of its benefits: ‘The stories are personal, this brings the community together, promotes a sense of positive identity and encourages an interest in arts and culture.’

In related news, work has started on a modular homes scheme in Bristol.

Photo by Nathan Riley