Voluntary organisations, charities and community groups from across the Harrogate district are being invited to apply for funding to help develop new and innovative arts, culture, heritage and community projects.
Harrogate Borough Council has £47,000 available to allocate through Arts & Heritage Grants and the Community Chest. The funding programmes, which are now open to applications, provide grants of up to £3,000 per project.
For a second year, the two funding programmes will be brought together to make it easier for applicants to avoid duplication of effort. There will be one application form which will allow applicants to decide which funding stream their project best fits, ensuring the application process is more efficient and less confusing. The funding criteria for each of the grant schemes will be clearly set out and each will have the same timescales for receiving applications.
Councillor Pat Jones, Cabinet Member for Culture, Tourism and Sports said: The grants help support so many worthwhile activities and projects that benefit local communities within the Harrogate district.
They help strengthen voluntary organisations, charities and community groups; and provide welcome funding for new and innovative projects that increase involvement by local people in arts, heritage and cultural activity.
This could include a wide range of activities and community arts programmes including music, performance, visual art, crafts, literature, exhibitions, arts festivals, heritage and cultural projects.
These two schemes are a wonderful example of how a small investment can help make a big difference to the local community.
Grants awarded in 2013 included:
- Release the Hounds Festival, a new poetry and performance festival in Knaresborough received £3,000.
- Nidderdale Visual Arts were awarded nearly £1,000 for an art recycling project.
- Friends of the Valley Gardens in Harrogate received £3,000 towards their heritage project to restore the Old Magnesia Well Pump Room and Peat Garden.
- Nidd Fest Ltd was granted £1,500 for its nature literary awards for children and adults.
- Harrogate Rotary Club of Brigantes recloiseived £550 towards a project engaging children with a professional composer and performance.
- Craft Aid International were awarded nearly £1,500 towards therapeutic craft workshop for people with disabilities.
- Green Hammerton Recreational Charity was granted £1,000 towards theatre and craft workshops celebrating the Yorkshire Grand Départ Tour de France 2014.
- Baldersby Children’s Play Area Fund was awarded £3,000 towards a new play area in the village.
- Fairfax Community Centre received £2,000 for an intergenerational photography project.
- Harrogate District Biodiversity Action Group was granted £1,741 towards their ‘Wonders of Wildlife’ project.
- Whixley and District Community Cricket Club were awarded £1,700 towards the cost of a new cricket coaching pitch.
Anyone interested in applying can find full details on both grant schemes and an application form at www.harrogate.gov.uk/communitygrants.
Alternatively, they can call Ann Byrne at Harrogate Borough Council on 01423 556067 or email HDSP@harrogate.gov.uk
Applications can be made until 12 noon on Thursday 31st July, 2014.
