Unseen Arts in Grimsby, MusicAbility Centre in Penzance and St Michael’s Mount Artist’s Studio in Newcastle are among 37 projects set to receive a share of more than £15 million through the government’s Heritage at Risk Fund.
The funding will support repair works and conservation of heritage buildings at risk, restoring local heritage to ensure it can be enjoyed for many generations to come.
These projects will provide much needed funding to ensure heritage buildings are fit for the future so they can continue to tell our national story at a local level in communities across the country.
The fund has prioritised projects that will restore heritage sites serving disadvantaged communities and which demonstrate strong local benefits, from job creation to cultural events.
The Heritage at Risk Fund is part of the £270 million Arts Everywhere Fund, which was announced by the Culture Secretary earlier this year. The fund will deliver on the government’s Plan for Change by breaking down barriers to opportunity by transforming historic buildings, creating jobs and spaces that are fit for communities to enjoy in the places they call home.
Heritage Minister, Baroness Twycross said: “Our extraordinary heritage weaves together the stories that define who we are as communities and as a nation, connecting us to the generations who came before us and shining a light on the pathways that brought us to where we stand today.
“We are delivering on our Plan for Change, through the Heritage at Risk Fund, by breathing new life into treasured places, buildings and monuments across the country, helping to increase opportunities and ensuring that future generations have access to our rich heritage.”
Some of the recipients of the fund include:
- Unseen Arts, in Grimsby, which will receive a share of over £430,000 to create a new creative community centre on Grimsby’s historic docks. The funding will repair and convert two unlisted historic buildings in the Kasbah conservation area, celebrating the historic docks, breathing new life into what was once the world’s largest fishing port, at the heart of Grimsby’s local identity. The creative community centre will provide a programme of movement classes, visual arts workshops, exhibitions and performances, outreach and open days, and a café, creating jobs for local people and driving economic growth.
- MusicAbility Centre in Penzance, which will receive more than £400,000 to restore the music centre and deliver music to the community. The project involves a full restoration of the elegant building, built in 1828, bringing it back into public use as the MusicAbility Centre. The building will welcome visitors 250 days annually, offering music lessons and groups, music therapy and regular concerts. The MusicAbility Centre will add to Penzance’s rich cultural legacy by sharing the beauty of music, ensuring young people have access to learn and experience music and the arts, with a performance space to host inclusive programmes.
- Two Grade II listed Hobby Rooms on Newcastle’s Byker Wall Estate, which will receive more than £98,000 of funding. Karbon Homes will convert Spires Lane hobby room into a new community hub, whilst St Michael’s Mount will become an artist’s studio for creative production and community engagement. These unique buildings were originally designed as part of architect Ralph Erskine’s bold 1960s social housing vision to encourage community interaction. After years of neglect, the funding will restore their original purpose whilst addressing contemporary needs. The project is part of Karbon Homes’ Fair Foundations approach to place-making, delivering projects and initiatives in its communities that help make lasting change and support social growth.
Lou Brennan, Director of Regions at Historic England said: “Thanks to the extra funding from the Heritage at Risk Capital Fund, we are able to breathe new life into neglected historic buildings that we haven’t been able to help through our existing grant schemes. This initiative will not only boost economic growth but also create amazing opportunities for people in some of the nation’s most disadvantaged areas.
“We’re thrilled to support projects that harness the power of heritage to make a real difference where it’s needed most.”
