Exciting News for Herefordshire!

Herefordshire Cultural Partnership (HCP) has secured a significant £596,000 grant from the National Lottery through Arts Council England to initiate a transformative programme in Leominster, South Wye (Hereford), and the Golden Valley.

Over the next three years, the “Our Place” programme will establish a new model for community arts in one of the UK's most rural counties, improving the quality of life through enhanced cultural opportunities.

The programme will be led by Herefordshire Cultural Partnership and delivered by three established local cultural organisations: Leominster Cultural Consortium, Rural Media, and Meadow Arts. They will collaborate with local communities to create and showcase live performances, digital content, and visual art.

Peter Knott, Midlands Area Director at Arts Council England said: 

We’re delighted to be investing £596,000 of National Lottery, Place Partnership funding into Herefordshire. This funding will establish new arts and cultural hubs in areas that have been historically underserved. We know the positive impact arts and culture has on rural communities, such as regeneration, growth, employment and happiness, so we’re delighted to be working with Herefordshire Cultural Partnership to make sure that local people will have more opportunities to experience, connect and take part in creative and cultural activities on their doorstep.

Nic Millington, Chair of Herefordshire Cultural Partnership said: 

Culture and creative industries are critical to shaping the places where we live. The Our Place programme will enable communities in three distinctive areas of Herefordshire: city, market town, and villages to learn about the arts, develop creative skills, and produce and share work that together paints a fresh and powerful picture of one of the most rural counties in England.

 Clare Purcell, Executive Director of Meadow Arts said:

For over 20 years, Meadow Arts has been enriching the region with its unique approach to place-based contemporary visual art. We passionately believe in the transformative power of arts and culture to enhance health, wellbeing, and social exchange. Our Place epitomises this vision, bringing people and organisations together. We extend heartfelt thanks to Arts Council England and Herefordshire Council for their support and belief in the power of the arts to connect people and make a positive impact on communities no matter how remote. We can’t wait to get going in our focus area covering Kingstone and the Golden Valley.

Wendy Coombey, Chair of Leominster Cultural Consortium said:

Leominster Roars Cultural Consortium has been in existence for 3 years, a network of arts and cultural organisations and businesses committed to celebrating the artistic skill and cultural life of our town. We are delighted to be able to build on our work and welcome the opportunity to continue to co-produce extraordinary art and celebrate our creativity in Leominster and our community. We are grateful to the Arts Council for their support and for the opportunity to develop new and exciting events and foster creativity across the area.

Grant Black, Creative Director at Rural Media said:

The team at Rural Media are looking forward to engaging with community members in Hereford’s South Wye to produce creative film and audio content that supports improved cultural, economic and health outcomes. Founded over 30 years ago, Rural Media has a reputation locally and nationally in using creativity as a way to increase wellbeing and self-confidence, influence change and celebrate rural life.

The “Our Place” programme has also received £86,400 funding from Herefordshire Council under the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, and £15,000 from public health funding.

Councillor Carole Gandy, Cabinet Member for Adults, Health and Wellbeing, Herefordshire Council said: 
We’re pleased to be supporting culture and arts in the county and excited to see how the Our Place project develops arts in our communities, encouraging opportunities for creativity and helping to boost wellbeing.

There will be an official launch event for “Our Place” in autumn 2024. To find out more about Herefordshire Cultural Partnership visit www.the-shire.co.uk/our-place. 

The Our Place programme is generously supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England and match funding from Herefordshire Council under the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and public health funding.