Cultural boost as city groups share funding (From The Oxford Times)

Cultural boost as city groups share funding

7:00pm Friday 4th January 2013 in News By Jamie Brooks, Contact me on 01865 425422

MUSEUMS, a choir, theatre companies and a dance group received a boost for the new year with the promise of funding from Oxford City Council.

The council will award a total of £11,472 to 12 projects from the Culture Fund Pilot for Oxford, provided they can match the grants in fundraising by March 5.

Thirty-eight organisations and individuals requested a total of £34,622, with the fund more than 300 per cent oversubscribed.

The grants offered are worth between £500 and £1,000 for groups or individuals who add to what the city offers culturally.

Ten of the groups are due to receive the full £1,000, including Oxford Contemporary Music, which arranges concerts across Oxfordshire.

It has already secured the funding for its Canal Sounds project. Canal Sounds will involve four schools recording noises along the Oxford Canal as well as interviews with people living nearby.Jordon Maynard-Daley, who is co-ordinating the project, said: “The plan is to work with a sound artist called Charlie Henry. “We want to use four bridges along Oxford Canal for art installations.

“This will really help us open a lot of doors hopefully to put on something that’s accessible to everyone to enjoy.”

Another group approved for a £1,000 grant was Creation Theatre, for a performance at Blackwell’s Bookshop.

The theatre company is appealing for donations to match the funding.

Lucy Askew said: “The money will go towards a forthcoming production, the cost of actors, the director, lighting and sound.

“We are delighted. Having the council’s backing behind us is a really powerful message.

“It will open up some more possibilities for us this year.”

The other eight to be offered £1,000 are Blackbird Leys Choir, Modern Art Oxford, New Writing South, Oxford Aspire Museum Consortium, Oxford Preservation Trust, Pegasus Theatre, Sole Rebel Tap and Steve Larkin.

Oxford Asian Cultural Association will receive £800 and Playground, a group of artists at the Old Fire Station, will get £672.

It is hoped that every £1 invested by the Culture Fund will leverage an additional £10 of funding from other sources.

City council leader Bob Price said: “The culture team were impressed by the variety of work and high quality of the applications across the board.”

All projects to benefit from the Culture Fund Pilot must take place before Monday, September 30.

For more information on the Culture Fund Pilot visit oxford.gov.uk/PageRender/decAC/ CultureFund.htm