Creative start across Cheshire - with more to come

Nineteen creative groups have been awarded funding between £200 and £500 to support creativity across West Cheshire, from Malpas to Northwich and Ellesmere Port to Chester.

The grants are helping choirs, crafters, theatre groups and festive events to take place, reuniting communities creatively, many for the first time since the pandemic began.

Activities being supported from October to January include outdoor workshops in Tattenhall and The Spinney, producing graffiti murals and woodland workshop with artist Tim Pugh and during November and December, Aleta Doran, Artist in Residence at Chester Cathedral is running mosaic workshops in the Countess of Chester Country Park, ahead of the Constellations exhibition which she is curating at the Cathedral in Spring 2022. 

Community productions, such as Minerva Arts storytelling youth project ‘Streets though time’, Fallen Angels Dance Theatre led shows at the Storyhouse on 24 November and 15 December and Mid Cheshire Youth Theatre’s concert at the Plaza Norwich on 10 December and Kingsley Players and Youth Theatre’s festive pantomime, Peter Pan, staged 26 to 29 January will offer the chance for public audiences to come back together.

Alongside these and the wide array of crafts workshops happening to create window displays, decorations and cards to be shared within the community, between schools and care homes, supported housing, new mums and wellbeing groups led by arts organisations such as Radiate Arts and Passion for Learning and community centres and groups in Blacon, Hoole, Kingsway, Newton and Wolverham, the grants are supporting the creative production of the volunteer run Frodsham Christmas Festival. 

Young people will take part in Arts Award workshops and visits, dance coaching and expressive music sessions for young people with autism. Finally, weekly sessions and concerts from The Old School House Community Choir will be supported throughout the winter in Northwich. 

Councillor Louise Gittins, Leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council said: “I am thrilled at the diversity of projects that have applied and been awarded and hope to see more being supported in the second round and the results of this west Cheshire wide celebration of community-led creativity.

“More funding is available for groups developing creative activities in the run up to the festive season, including lantern festivals for the dark evenings or other forms of activities to help communities celebrate and brighten up highstreets across Cheshire.”

As part of the Re-opening and Recovery Programme for rural areas and local communities, the Council are working with Cheshire West Voluntary Arts Network and Creative Lives. 

Cheshire West and Chester’s Kickstart Voluntary Art microgrant scheme will be distributing a further £9,000 of funding to groups during November and the team of support agencies will be coming together for a virtual support event on 8 November for groups looking to apply ahead of the 15 November deadline, looking to support the diverse communities and creative pastimes enjoyed across the borough. Full application details are available at:

https://www.creative-lives.org/cheshire-west-microgrants-kickstart-voluntary-art