Derbyshire County Council is setting £1 million aside to boost culture and creative industries across the county after Cabinet members approved plans.
The funding, which will be earmarked from the council’s COVID-19 Recovery Fund, will be used to deliver a series of initiatives drawn-up in partnership with the Culture, Heritage and Tourism (CHAT) Board – a partnership which includes local councils working alongside some of Derbyshire’s key visitor attractions, higher education providers and organisations such as Arts Council England, National Heritage Lottery Fund, Marketing Peak District and Derbyshire, Arts Derbyshire and Derbyshire Museums and Heritage Forum.
Leader of Derbyshire County Council, Councillor Barry Lewis, said: “Derbyshire has a vibrant creative community and rich cultural heritage which are key to the county’s identity and unique story.
“The impact of COVID-19 has been devastating to Derbyshire’s creative and cultural economy, alongside the wider visitor economy, with those businesses that rely on attracting audiences and visitors some of the very last to return to normal operation.
“This funding will help support these businesses which make a valuable contribution to the vibrancy and vitality of our county, and in particular our 27 market towns across Derbyshire, which we are supporting to recover from the pandemic and the trend for online shopping.”
The plans include a series of initiatives which will be launched to:
- develop and diversify Derbyshire’s creative talent
- celebrate Derbyshire’s cultural heritage, stories, landscape and people
- use culture and creativity to help revitalise and attract more people to Derbyshire’s town centres
- develop distinctive signature projects, of scale and quality, to provide attractions for local audiences and visitors
- provide leadership, support and collaboration for culture heritage and tourism sectors across Derby and Derbyshire.
James Berresford, chair of Derbyshire’s CHAT Board, said: “This is great news for the wider cultural sector in the county. The fund will provide a real boost to our already dynamic cultural offer. The benefits to both locals and visitors will be significant.”
