Grant of £1m boosts cultural projects in district

The Arts Council cash will help to stage more events like the Luma light show in Sutton in 2022

A three-year cultural programme has been launched in part of Nottinghamshire using a £1m Arts Council grant.

Ashfield Creates has been set up to boost the arts in the district's towns and villages by running festivals and events, involving national and international artists, as well as dance, music and craft activities for residents.

The Arts Council said Ashfield had great creative potential but investment in culture there had been historically low.

The first events and activities are expected to begin in the autumn.

Ashfield-born playwright James Graham said he was delighted about the grant

The Ashfield Arts Partnership (AAP), which has joined with Ashfield District Council to run the initiative, said it would consult residents over the summer to help shape the programme of events.

Hucknall, Kirkby and Sutton have been nominated as three "hubs" for the scheme, with surrounding villages designated as a fourth.

Playwright and screenwriter James Graham, who wrote BBC crime drama Sherwood, said: “As an Ashfield born-and-bred writer I can't begin to express my delight that the area is to receive this cultural boost.

"We all know it is not a level playing field when it comes to accessing the arts, but I know from experience the talent in these towns and villages that is waiting to be supported, and the appetite that potential audiences have for engaging as a community with work that can bring people together."

Ashfield District Council leader Jason Zadrozny said: "It’s fantastic that the Arts Council is entrusting us with such a large grant to achieve truly transformational change."

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