Community group wins £1m Arts Council cash boost

Made With Many will use the money to deliver projects in Wellingborough and Corby over the next three years

A community-led arts group said its award of £1m from Arts Council England was "an incredible vote of confidence" in its work.

Made With Many, which runs projects in Corby and Wellingborough in Northamptonshire, said the cash would "help shape the next three years of arts and cultural activities" in the area.

The money forms part of £42m from the organisation's Creative People and Places Portfolio, which supports cultural experiences in parts of England where involvement in the arts is below the national average.

Vicky Frayard, from Made With Many, said: "Building relationships with our communities who are at the heart of what we do is magical, and this funding means we can continue that work."

The group said the funding, supported by the National Lottery, would help Corby and Wellingborough become recognised "as places where creativity thrives".

Liz Johnson, the midlands area director at Arts Council England, said: "Made with Many works with the local community to create dynamic, high-quality creative and cultural activities for all – from festivals and exhibitions, to installations and events."

Since its inception in 2014, Made With Many said it had organised more than 2,500 activities and events for local people.

They include its Well Creative festival in Wellingborough and Inspiring Black Creativity programme.

'Local pride'

Made With Many's co-director, Victoria Bell, said: "This funding will ensure we can take that approach even further, supporting our communities to not just attend cultural activities, but to lead and shape them.

"By 2030, we want people to walk through Corby and Wellingborough and see creativity everywhere - in community spaces, in the stories being told, in the confidence and pride of our residents."

The group added that despite "high levels of community spirit and volunteering", both Corby and Wellingborough faced "significant deprivation and have historically had low levels of cultural engagement".

It said its new three-year programme would make "creativity accessible, relevant and community-controlled".