Vision RCL has been awarded a grant of up to £998,936 from Arts Council England’s Creative People and Places Programme to deliver an ambitious programme of arts and cultural activity made by and with the people who live and work in Redbridge.

Vision’s Library and Culture Team successfully led a consortium of local partners to secure the investment into Redbridge, the partnership includes Friends of Loxford, Redbridge Council for Voluntary Services, SPACE, Mercarto Metropolitano and Muslimah Sports Association who will develop and deliver the Creative Redbridge Project over the next three 3 years.

With the support of the consortium partners, residents will take the lead in choosing, creating, and taking part in arts and cultural activities that they want and need. 

The project will launch in Redbridge in autumn 2022 with a series of creative consultation events to better understand what the community is interested in and to recruit volunteers to the programme.

Events during this phase will include activities in libraries, neighbourhood street parties, a food and arts festival, creative conversation cafes, town centre events, artist workshops, exhibitions, film screenings, creative lunch and supper clubs and much more. The community will then be supported to commission and make their own arts experiences.

This exciting programme will enable new ambitious work to be seen, experienced and enjoyed by more people across the whole of Redbridge.

Martin Solder, Chair of Vision RCL said:

“We are thrilled to have been awarded this funding and for the opportunity to become part of the CPP programme. Over the next 3 years, our project – Creative Redbridge will be an opportunity for the stories of the many different communities that call Redbridge home, to be discovered, explored and celebrated. Together with our consortium partners we are excited to work with our communities, to help them take the lead in shaping arts and culture projects across Redbridge, and to leave a legacy of a place where great art is made and experienced.”

ACE are investing £38.3 million in 39 Creative People and Places programmes as part of the Creative People and Places national portfolio 2022-25. All successful applicants will receive funding between £750k to £1 million over the three-year period. The £38.3 million is made up of £25.3 million in new money and £13 million funding previously awarded, to cover part of this period. 

These programmes cover 56 local authority areas including 11 areas entirely new to Creative People and Places. They also cover 23 Arts Council England Priority Places and 27 of the government’s levelling up Priority 1 places. 

Community, grassroots and cultural organisations come together as partners to lead the CPP Project in their place. Using their collective expertise, they support communities in commissioning and designing arts and cultural activities for their place.

Since inception in 2012 up to 2021, there have been over 7.4 million engagements with the programme involving over 17,404 volunteers and over 1000 local partners – including a haulage firm, a rugby club and a number of housing associations – helping to put creativity at the heart of local communities

83% of CPP engagements are from lower and medium engaged groups – low to medium engaged groups are overrepresented in CPP in comparison to UK households. 

Nadine Dorries, Culture Secretary said:

“Everyone, no matter where they are from, should be able to experience arts and culture. The fantastic Creative People and Place projects help make culture more accessible and strengthen bonds in local communities. I’m delighted that this £38.3 million funding will make sure more people across the whole of England have access to brilliant cultural and creative activities on their doorsteps.”

Darren Henley, Chief Executive of Arts Council England, said:

“These projects change villages, towns and cities for the better, helping people to lead happier, healthier lives.  Our new investment means more people in more places across England will benefit from that magical spark of possibility, innovation and invention that only happens when culture and creativity becomes part of their daily lives.”