Member Article

Sunderland Arts Network secures £5k funding

The Sunderland Family Arts Network has successfully secured £5k of funding from the Arts Council England’s Test Drive campaign, subsidising city wide family events and activities.

The Test Drive campaign aims to encourage people to engage with the arts and explore a particular art form or arts venue for the first time.

In response to this national initiative, the Sunderland Family Arts Network will use the funding to offer an eclectic mix of family friendly activities, as part of the nationwide Family Arts Festival, which runs from October 17 to November 2.

The Test Drive campaign supports a programme of activity designed to increase regular future attendance at arts events and venues by utilising spare capacity to encourage people to try a new experience in the arts, converting non-attenders into attendees.

The Sunderland Family Arts Network aims to develop the learning, understanding and appreciation of art and creativity.

Working with a wealth of Sunderland based arts organisations, activities will include pop up dance performances, theatre productions, and a range of hot glass activities and arts workshops, which are planned to be held at venues including The Canny Space, The Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art, Arts Centre Washington, and Creative Cohesion.

The Family Arts Network also works alongside the Sunderland Creative Enterprise Network (SCENe).

SCENe supports business and development projects in the city’s creative industries sector and is an initiative of the Business and Investment Team of Sunderland City Council.

Trustee of arts charity Creative Cohesion and Co-ordinator of the Family Arts Network, Kathryn Tye, said: “The extra funding that the network has secured means that we will be able to co-ordinate activities between each venue and each organisation.

“It also means that, for the first time we are able to provide activities free of charge on a large scale.

“When we ran our Family Arts Festival events last year, it was down to each individual venue to fund their activities, which meant that there was often a fee to take part.

“This year, the Test Drive funding means that we are able to offer activities that may have cost £10 or £20 per person or per family, for free.”

“The Test Drive funding will allow us to bring activities to the public that they might not have been aware of and to encourage them to have a go.”

Sunderland council member, Councillor Kelly, said: “This funding will help to ensure that 2014’s Festival is even better and encourages more families to get involved, enjoy some new experiences and have some fun with art over the half term holiday.”

Looking to promote your product/service to SME businesses in your region? Find out how Bdaily can help →