'Creative gap' fear as arts centre faces closure

The centre has provided a space for grassroots artists since 2013

An artist has said the loss of a "life-changing" centre will leave a creative gap in the city.

For the past 12 years City Arts, based in Hockley, Nottingham, has provided a space for grassroots groups, local artists, and designers to practice and showcase their work.

But earlier this month the team announced economic pressures would force them to close when their lease ends in March.

In a statement, it said: "We are desperately sad that circumstances are against us, and we are having to close the doors on our Hockley home."

Artist Honey Williams said the centre "felt safe to dream in"

Singer and painter Honey Williams started using the City Arts space in 2020, after she was discharged from hospital where she had been treated for coronavirus.

She said: "It was like a rehab place for me almost. It just gave me such a huge opportunity as an artist, they encouraged me to grow, take up space, and to learn to ask for help.

"It was just a place where anyone could go, any age, any race, anyone. I would describe it as warm, life-changing. It was a place that felt safe to dream in.

"Where does a fledgling artist go in Nottingham now? Where do you turn to? It's left a gap in Nottingham."

The centre has received regular funding from the Arts Council but this has been frozen for five years, a real-terms cut of about 30%.

On top of this, the city council closed its cultural, heritage, and creative capital (CHC) grant.

City Arts director Suzannah Bedford said the closure was heartbreaking

City Arts director Suzannah Bedford said: "While they continue to find ways to support us on an ad hoc basis, we haven't got the core funding to rely on that we need to make sure that we can continue with the lease.

"We tried every way to change this, to not have this happen.

"It just feels genuinely sad to think that all of the hard work and all of the work of the artists and the joy that has been created here and the meaningful exchanges between people, between groups, to think that that isn't going to continue here is genuinely heartbreaking."

A spokesperson for the city council said: "The council supports many organisations through different funding streams, but local government nationally has changed significantly over recent years, and the same levels of funding aren't available anymore.

"City Arts has previously received a small grant support from the council, and we recognise the wider challenges they face, including rising staff and operating costs.

"We are in conversation with the Strategic Cultural Partnership about how Nottingham's creative and cultural sector can continue to be supported in the future."