£1m Investment Boost for Youth Arts and Culture in Wolverhampton

£1m Investment Boost for Youth Arts and Culture in Wolverhampton

Wolverhampton is set to receive a significant investment of almost £1 million dedicated to arts and culture initiatives for its young people in the city.

Led by Newhampton Arts Centre, a coalition of local organisations has successfully secured funding from Arts Council England. This allocation is destined for a series of events over the upcoming three years.

The initiative, dubbed ‘Wolverhampton: City of Youth Culture,’ encompasses plans for festivals, art trails, and career pathways, collaboratively designed with the city’s youngsters.

This proposal was a joint effort from several entities, including Newhampton Arts Centre, Wolverhampton Music Service, LearnPlay Foundation, Gazebo TIE, and City of Wolverhampton Council.

They obtained a notable £846,940 from the Arts Council England Place Partnership Fund. Additional contributions from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund elevated the total to an impressive £996,000.

Outlined plans feature the annual ‘Same Difference’ youth festival, the ‘Big Sing’ music endeavour for Year 3 and Year 7 students, a visual arts trail crafted alongside young individuals and local artists, and avenues to creative professions, targeting those aged 18–25.

Approximately 1,500 youngsters will have a hand in shaping and rolling out these activities, aiming to engage over 23,000 children in the next three years.

Trevelyan Wright, Chief Executive of Newhampton Arts Centre, commented, “This is great news for young people in the city. Our proposal contained a very exciting programme of events and training programmes that will create a host of new opportunities for young people to get involved in cultural activities, pursue their passions, and develop new skills.”

“Newhampton Arts Centre, Wolverhampton Music Service, Gazebo TIE and LearnPlay Foundation together represent many art-forms, from music and theatre to digital and gaming. It’s very exciting to be able to work together on such an ambitious project and make a real difference to the lives of young people in Wolverhampton.”

“We’re delighted that Wolverhampton: City of Youth Culture has been awarded funding by Arts Council England and we all look forward to starting the work.”