Yeovil and Weston receive arts funding for cultural projects

Arts funding is set to increase in two towns after they were identified as being culturally under-served.

Arts Council England has put Yeovil, Somerset and Weston-super-Mare in north Somerset on its Priority Places list.

South Somerset District Council's leader Val Keitch, who welcomed the decision, said the district was home to artists "brimming with talent".

On Saturday, Weston-super-Mare launched its art and health week by unveiling an art installation on the town's beach.

The week-long free event will also see poetry and illustration workshops and exercise tasters.

By being placed on the list, both towns will now get Arts Council help with grant applications and match funding for various projects over the next three years.

It could see them getting greater shares of the £7m Place Partnership Fund, the £42.3m Cultural Investment Fund and others.

North Somerset Council's executive member for Place-making and Economy, Mark Canniford, also welcomed the decision.

"We recognise the power of arts and culture to transform lives and are proud that the potential we see in Weston and beyond is also recognised by Arts Council England," he said.

"We have an ambition to make North Somerset a distinctive place for arts and culture and this is now firmly embedded in our place-making plans for Weston."

The status is designed to help the arts sector recovery from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, during which time theatres and other venues were forced to close for long periods, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said.

"Our district is home to superb artists and arts organisations, and is brimming with local talent," added Ms Keitch

"We want South Somerset to continue to be a place where communities have access to exceptional cultural activities.

"We fully welcome the new priority place status for the district and look forward to seeing new opportunities arise with this new partnership."

South Somerset District Council has also already received £10m in government funding for its upgrade of the Octagon Theatre in Yeovil.

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