New grants launched for Cheshire West Community Groups

Cheshire West and Chester Council is working with Cheshire West Voluntary Arts Network to support non-for-profit groups throughout the borough to develop creative restart activity, by offering grants of £2,000 to £5,000.

The grant funding is part of the Reopening and Recovery Rural and Communities Programme designed to support local arts and community organisations to develop events and activity that encourage recovery from lockdown in their locality as well as community building, engagement and wellbeing.

Councillor Louise Gittins, Leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council said: “We hope to support a further 12 to 15 local projects depending on the value of grants awarded.  The grants are being funded by the Council to support activity happening between January and March 2022.”

Projects applying should be offering activity of any artistic or creative discipline to their community and or members. 

Proposed activity must do at least one of the following:

• Enable activity to restart
• Celebrate the high street
• Bring communities together

Cheshire West Voluntary Arts Network aims to support, promote and advocate for Voluntary Arts organisations and their activities across the borough.

Steph Meskell-Brocken, Cheshire West Voluntary Arts Network Chairman said: “We’ve already seen a wide range of microgrants being awarded as part of this programme.  They have supported organisations from brownies, mother and toddler, adults with Learning Disability, to new choirs, youth theatre and more, to run creative sessions with their members or local community.  We are excited to  reach and support even more communities with the development grants.”

Applicants will be offered support from Creative Producer, Jodie Gibson. Jodie can offer support or advice around project delivery, community reach, offering training, data collection, as well as arranging for photography of some projects.

To apply for funding please read the Guidelines and Conditions before completing an Application Form: 

https://www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/residents/leisure-parks-and-events/arts-and-festivals/voluntary-arts.aspx

and sending it to:

artswest@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk

The funding deadline is 9am on Monday 13 December.

Successful applicants will be informed before Christmas and grants awarded early in January.