LONDON.-Arts Council England, East Midlands has today announced its three-year investment plan of over £34 million to theatres, galleries and other arts organisations in the region. In total, 61 organisations across the East Midlands will receive regular funding from the Arts Council from April 2008 to March 2011.

This is an increase of £5 million investment into the region for the arts compared to the previous three years. It will provide exciting new arts opportunities and experiences for all East Midlands communities, as well as more opportunities for artists to explore and develop their talents.


In Lincolnshire £2.1 million is being invested in theatres and arts organisations over the next three years. Rural touring sees the largest boost in funding of almost 20% for the first year, and 12 organisations in the county get a 2.7% increase.

Laura Dyer, Executive Director, Arts Council England, East Midlands, says: ‘Touring performances to rural locations is important in a county like Lincolnshire, and Arts Council England recognises the importance of encouraging high quality performing arts activities. This additional investment into Lincolnshire is a real vote of confidence in the organisations working across the county. They are creating great art for the communities of Lincolnshire and beyond. This additional money, particularly the above inflation increase for rural touring, means that their work should reach even more people, in many more places.’

In Lincolnshire rural performances in the last year included a varied programme across the county. They ranged from: the Seckou Keita Quartet (Senegalese world music) which went to Market Rasen, Withern, Horncastle, North Hykeham and Ropsley; Curry Tales by Rasa (a theatre piece) in Horncastle; The Hired Man (a play by Melvyn Bragg performed by New Perspectives) in Spilsby, Witham on the Hill, Caistor, Ingham, Allington, Leadenham and Ropsley.

In addition to this regular funding Arts Council England is investing £180,000 to enable the county to be part of Thrive, a national initiative to help organisations develop to meet new challenges.

This will enable arts centres and organisations to investigate ways of working together so they can create a more effective and sustainable programme to attract bigger audiences and to raise the profile of Lincolnshire.

Other recent Arts Council awards to the county include £140,000 for youth arts activities, and £130,000 to enable Skegness and the coastal region to participate in an international programme of activity with ten other countries from the North Sea and Black Sea regions.

John Cairns, Regional Partnerships Officer with Arts Council England, East Midlands, says this additional funding recognises the growth areas of Grantham and Lincoln and the affects of increasing numbers of people moving into the rural areas.

‘It also accounts for the need to provide a wider variety of working to meet the diverse requirements of new and incoming communities,' he added.’