Local authorities

£585,000 is being sought to upgrade The Harris in Preston.

Preston City Council plans to ask Arts Council England to part fund Harris Your Place, its £10m refurbishment programme. £4.5m has already been recieved from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The museum, art gallery and library needs new lighting, signage, heating and ventilation, the council says.

Works would allow the building to host larger exhibitions and loans from major institutions.

Exeter Northcott Theatre will take over management of the city’s Barnfield Theatre in January.

The acquisition means Exeter Northcott will operate across both its existing University of Exeter campus theatre and Barnfield’s 1890s city centre building.

Live events at both theatres are planned in the new year, with a focus on community engagement and nurturing local talent, as the venues hope to double their 33,000 annual users by 2026.

Exeter Northcott Chief Executive and Artistic Director Daniel Buckroyd called Barnfield Theatre “one of Exeter’s hidden gems”.

“We’ve been working with the Barnfield team to imagine what the next 50 years might look like. I’m thrilled that the Northcott can help secure a brighter, busier future.”

Artists and arts organisations in Essex will soon be able to apply for up to £30,000 from a £1m fund.

Essex County Council will open the fund for applications from January 4, announcing grantees at the end of March.

Grants of at least £2,500 are available to individuals, community groups, charities and public and private organisations.

The council says Essex's creative sector was the third largest in the UK pre-pandemic, contributing an estimated £2.6bn.

"We believe that a thriving creative sector is part of a strong economy and one which will rejuvenate our high streets. It is my hope that the Arts and Cultural Fund will support the diverse and vibrant communities we have throughout the county," Councillor Graham Butland said.

A Night Time Advisor in every major city will help kickstart the industry's recovery.

The Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) hopes to establish 12 new advisors to match those in Bristol, London and Greater Manchester.

Covid-19 closures and restrictions have caused an estimated 90,000 job losses, with a third of the UK’s nightclubs no longer trading.

The advisors will act as representatives for local nightlife, reporting to their local or combined authority executive to spotlight regional issues.

NTIA CEO Michael Kill says this is the only way the sector can recover its pre-pandemic vibrance.

“We would call on all relevant local and combined authorities to engage with us on this to benefit the many millions who want to see thriving night time economies all over the UK.”

Witshire's Trowbridge Town Hall is set to undergo a £8.1m redevelopment next year.

Half of the £16.3m given to Trowbridge from the Future High Streets Fund will go towards restoring the Grade-II listed building's ballroom and creating three smaller performances spaces.

The venue hosts film, music, visual arts and theatre events, welcoming 50,000 visitors annually.

Director David Lockwood hopes the project will reimagine a town centre with community ownership and culture at its heart.

"The Town Hall opened over 100 years ago and pledged ‘for the benefit of the inhabitants of the town for ever.’ A century on, we’re inspired by that history to create a pioneering cultural venue which is deeply rooted in its community."

Creative and cultural start-ups and small businesses in South Yorkshire can now apply for grants supporting post-Covid recovery. 

The Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) will offer between £5,000 and £40,000 per applicant. A total of £1m is available, with £450,000 earmarked for Doncaster. 

Proposals must show consideration towards the borough’s Great 8 Priorities, which include tackling climate change, promoting cultural opportunities and six wellbeing goals.

South Yorkshire is among the regions that lost the most economic value due to Covid-19, according to new research.

Mayor Dan Jarvis acknowledged local arts, culture and heritage have been hit hard by the pandemic, making investment an essential part of recovery.

“If supported and nurtured, the creative industries can help drive growth in our region and realise untapped potential.”

A restructure of The Royal Pavilion and Museums Trust (RPMT) will save £300,000 and affect more than a quarter of jobs, it is anticipated.

The trust, which manages Brighton’s Royal Pavilion and four other museums in the city, says the changes will result in "a more efficient and successful service”.

The restructure will establish new "income raising teams". CEO Hedley Swain says the charity will do "everything" it can to avoid compulsory redundancies.

"We’re hoping to become a stronger organisation for the future... Our five venues will benefit from a more unified vision as we all work together to create a stronger family of venues."

The consultation will be completed in January 2022, with changes announced thereafter.

Huddersfield will get a new art gallery, library, event venue and museum under proposals to create a new "cultural heart" in the town centre.

Councillors' preferred plan involves turning the central library into a museum and using service tunnels beneath the city as an exhibition space.

An event venue could have capacity for up to 2,500 people.

The council will need to borrow to finance £210m in works, slated to begin in 2026.

Cabinet Member for Regeneration Peter McBride called it "a thoughtful risk".

"It's also a huge risk to ignore the issue and to leave things behind and not to invest in our future.

"If we don't, this town will be doomed."

Residents of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough are being asked to contribute their opinion on the local City of Culture 2025 bid.

An online survey asks locals what culture means to them, which cultural activities they engage in and their thoughts on three possible bid themes: traditions for the future, provoking thought, and healing.

Information from the survey will help develop the final bid to DCMS in February.

As Northern Ireland’s only representative on the City of Culture 2025 longlist, Armagh 2025 says it aims to make the shortlist of three cities. 

“Bidding for the title is already providing a positive focus for change, sparking a renewed sense of pride, and securing new initiatives and investment potential for the region,” Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Glenn Barr said.