Scores of North London organisations have been awarded Arts Council grants for the next three years with funding favouring those working with marginalised and disadvantaged groups.
While existing venues such as The Roundhouse, Almeida, Hackney Empire, Kiln, Sadlers Wells, and Arcola will get the same – or increased funding – there are new awards for the likes of The Jewish Museum in Camden Town, The Postal Museum in Islington, and Deaf Rave in Hackney staging music nights for the deaf and hearing impaired.
A total of £431 million will go to 258 creative and cultural organisations across London over three years.
ACE managers said they aimed to reach a wider spread – driven by Londoner’s desire to see quality cultural events where they live – including those who have been underserved by previous funding, or lack access to the arts.
There is also a Government directive to shift funding towards ‘levelling up’ areas with some London organisations recieving transfer funding to relocate outside the capital.
Tonya Nelson, Area Director, London, Arts Council England, said: “Our aim has been to support a broad range of organisations and artforms in every corner of London, with a clear focus on ensuring that investment goes into places that, historically, have been underserved including London’s outer boroughs. Funding these new organisations will help us inspire the next generation of artistic talent and increase opportunity for people of all communities and backgrounds.”
Kiln Theatre in Kilburn saw its annual grant increased to £945,901 to support its Creative Engagement Programme in schools and the community, development fornew writers, and productions for local audiences.
Arts Depot in North Finchley saw support rise to £307,290 annually for its programme of exhibitions, festivals, artist residencies and creative sessions for over 60s, and young people.
Black owned independent bookshop and publisher Jacaranda Books is newly awarded £150,00 a year, and The Jewish Music Institute which celebrates and develops the living heritage of Jewish music got £128,000 to expand its youth education programme. Meanwhile The Jewish Museum in Albert Street was awarded £224,000 to grow its learning programme and exhibitions exploring themes of migration faith and culture.
“The heart of their work will be about bringing communities together and tackling societal issues of racism, antisemitism, and community cohesion through creativity and culture,” said ACE.
Camden Arts Centre in Hampstead gets £600,000 annually for its education courses and contemporary exhibitions, and The English Folk Dance and Song Society £300,000 a year for its diverse music events. Also based at Cecil Sharp House in Primrose Hill, is Orchestras for All which supports vulnerable young musicians and recieves £300,000 under the transfer programme. Tonya Nelson said it “strives to bring new music-making opportunities to young people in all places and from all backgrounds – with a focus on those experiencing economic deprivation, health conditions, and other disadvantages.”
Executive director Nick Thorne thanked ACE “for believing in our vision to break down barriers to give all young people the life-changing experience of making music together. Thank you to every single person that has supported us but special mention to the young people who inspire me each day through their passion, energy and barrier-smashing enthusiasm.”
Poems on the Underground started by a group of Hampstead poets to put verse on advertising hoardings on the tube is awarded £53,675 per year. The Foundling Museum in Bloomsbury, which stages exhibitions themed around childhood, and The Postal Museum in Clerkenwell were both newly awarded £150,000 per year to expand their innovative programmes for families.
Jacksons Lane in Highgate earned £132,000 to support its community education and contemporary circus programmes and Latinolife a Latin magazine and events company founded by Crouch End-based Amaranta Wright is newly funded at £125,000 annually, to enable them to continue events such the free festival LatinoLife in the Park in Finsbury Park.
The George Padmore Institute in Stroud Green Road, Finsbury Park is also newly funded with £73,000 annually for its educational research and information centre, and archive relating to the Black community of Caribbean, African, and Asian descent, and its vibrant programme of literary events, exhibitions and workshops.
The National Youth Theatre in Holloway Road, the Almeida Theatre, and Cubbitt Artists are among those continuing to recieve support in Islington with fresh funding of £175,00 for Company Three, based near Holloway Road which provides creative opportunities for teenagers and young people, including co-creating exciting new plays with youth theatre groups.
There is £150,00 for Marsm an event producer and digital platform for the musical culture of the Arabic-speaking world, including jazz, hip hop,electronic, devotional, and pop. Increased funding of £143,500 goes to Aurora Orchestra to create music experiences from school classrooms to nightclubs to world-class performance venues, mixing movement, theatrical lighting design, and storytelling.
In Hackney there is increased funding for acclaimed theatre company Graeae in Kingsland Road which champions the work of deaf and disabled artists. Counterpoint Arts a Hoxton-based charity that supports the creativity of migrants and refugees and coordinates the annual Refugee Week also saw increased funding to £106,472.
A new award of £117,000 went to Ruff Sqwad Arts Foundation a music organisation founded by Grime artists Rapid and Slix in Hackney Bridge to support young people from lower socio-economic and marginalised groups to reach their potential in creative careers.
And £122,000 goes to Hackney-based Deaf Rave which offers creative opportunities for the Deaf Community to produce, perform and experience music, via sign song and visual performances.
A new £99,000 goes to Tropical Isles which creates Carnival arts learning programmes for children and their families; designing and making costumes, working with professional choreographers and disadvantaged children, and creating performanceswith socially excluded young people.
£169,000 increased funding goes to Shoreditch Based Extant a performing arts company touring work by visually impaired people and helping them build careers in the culture sector.
£192,431 per year goes to Hackney based Vital Xposure, a theatre company creating and touring work informed by the stories of marginalised voices that help to remove barriers for Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent creatives.
Also in Hackney, Access All Areas earned increased funded with £254,000 to make theatre more accessible for learning disabled, autistic and neurodiverse artists and audiences – nurturing the talent creatives through a professional development programme.
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