Posted on 19th May
Today, Historic England has announced that a selection of towns in the High Street Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ), which includes Newark, will receive substantial grants to create and deliver community-led cultural activities on their high streets.
Newark has been awarded a £90,000 Cultural Programme Grant.
This grant is linked to the four-year-long £95 million HSHAZ initiative, which is currently working across over 60 English high streets led by Historic England, in partnership with Arts Council England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund. In the Midlands, 11 high streets taking part in the HSHAZ scheme including Newark will benefit from this additional grant which aims to make high streets more attractive, engaging and vibrant places for people to live, work and spend time.
Plans for this year include a Family Play Day, creative workshops and events, music and tours, celebrating the unique heritage of Newark’s streets and supporting people to join and share their skills and passions with their local community.
A core of organisations have been identified from the wider community to form a Cultural Consortium to lead on delivering Newark’s Cultural Programme, these include: Inspire (Culture, Libraries and Learning) who lead on the programme, Newark and Sherwood District Council, Newark Town Council, Newark Civic Trust, Newark Heritage Forum, Newark Book Festival, Newark and Sherwood CVS and Newark and Sherwood College (Schools of Violin, Piano and Woodwind).
The consortium will deliver ‘Newark Creates’ – a cultural programme that is accessible and welcoming to everyone. Future plans could include a wide range of events and activities encompassing theatre, street art, poetry, literature, music festivals and photography projects, amongst other activities.
Inspire CEO Peter Gaw, said: “We are excited about the opportunity of forming a consortium to coordinate and develop a rich and varied Newark-based cultural offer, which will bring people and activity into the town.”
Leader of Newark and Sherwood District Council, Council David Lloyd, said: “The Cultural Programme that sits alongside the High Streets Heritage Action Zone scheme will help to deliver a host of exciting new activities and events with the aim of bringing our wonderful local community face to face again.
“High streets across the country have suffered so much from the pandemic and this programme will bring more people back together into our high streets at this critical time.
“I look forward to seeing what events and activities will come to Newark and hope that many of you will enjoy the full programme when it is announced later this year”.
Work on the Cultural Programme is expected to begin this summer with a range of activities taking part in the high street this year.
