Nearly £1m made availiable by Council for Manchester arts organisations

The organisations awarded grants are Brighter Sound, Castlefield Gallery, Community Arts North West, Contact, Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester Histories, Manchester Jazz Festival, Manchester Jewish Museum, Manchester Literature Festival, Odd Arts, Reform Radio, and Venture Arts.

Funding will begin in April 2023 and end in March 2026.

Grants will help the organisations with their core running costs and enable them to continue and extend their work with different communities in the city.

The Cultural Partnership Grants were designed to help make Manchester a thriving, vibrant, and liveable city with high-quality cultural and creative experiences that all Manchester people can benefit from.

Speaking to I love Manchester, Councillor Luthfur Rahman OBE, Deputy Leader, Manchester City Council, said: “Manchester has a long history of supporting culture and the arts and for good reason.  The arts enrich all our lives and help make Manchester a better place to live, work, and invest in.

“The city is home to some amazing arts organisations, and we want everyone to benefit from the fantastic cultural opportunities on our doorstep, of which there are many – whether that’s as an artist, or working for one of them, or as an audience member.

“Culture and the arts are for everyone, they’re good for us, and we’re determined to continue supporting and investing in the sector and doing everything we can to further increase participation.”

Arts organisations had to bid for a share of the cash set aside by the council for the grants, with each application judged on its merits against a defined set of criteria to decide on successful bids.

Funding was awarded to organisations based in the city or otherwise able to demonstrate that they have a strong offer and a track record of delivering cultural opportunities for Manchester residents.

Organisations receiving funding for the first time this year through the Cultural Partnership Grant programme include Odd Arts, Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester Literature Festival, and Manchester Jazz Festival.

All organisations awarded grants had to meet a series of stringent priorities set by the council including the creation of high quality work with life-enhancing impacts, a commitment to diversity and inclusion, and widening access and participation in the arts.

Councillor Luthfur Rahman OBE, Deputy Leader, Manchester City Council, said: “Manchester has a long history of supporting culture and the arts and for good reason. The arts enrich all our lives and help make Manchester a better place to live, work, and invest in. Culture and the arts are for everyone, they’re good for us, and we’re determined to continue supporting and investing in the sector and doing everything we can to further increase participation.”

The latest round of Cultural Partnership Grants reflects the council’s commitment to helping these organizations deliver an extensive range of cultural activities and opportunities for local people and wider arts audiences.