West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) has awarded £45k to Voluntary and Community Sector organisations to expand and enhance the arts and culture offering in West Northants.

15 organisations will receive a combination of full and part funded grants of up to £5,000 including Rockin’ Roadrunner, a free annual community based festival in Abington Park which provides a welcoming and inclusive environment where people with disabilities can actively participate in music and live performance; Performing Room, a community arts development programme designed to help individuals of all ages and abilities express themselves positively through music and creative arts activities; Accent Percussion, a Brackley based community percussion group promoting the benefits to both physical and mental health that drumming offers at weekly sessions and public events; and South Northants Youth Engagement, a youth charity delivering activities and services for young people in South Northants, that will provide development arts programmes with this grant.

Other groups to receive funding include:

Northampton Film Festival
Dancemind
Delapré Abbey Preservation Trust
Doddridge Centre
The Lab
NAB Sight Support for Northamptonshire
Northampton Hope Centre
One Voice Choir
Albanian Cultural Association
Time 4 Support
Towcester Studio Band

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Each project addresses an identified local need and supports, enables or facilitates the achievement of one or more of the Council's strategic aims, objectives or priorities, as well as meeting two or more of the following requirements:

providing ongoing arts or culture activities for the local community
improving the wellbeing of vulnerable people
increasing the number of people accessing arts and culture
increasing the number of visitors to West Northamptonshire
increasing levels of physical activity through the use of arts and culture activities

Cllr Daniel Lister, Cabinet Member for Local Economy, Culture & Leisure, said: “We really appreciate our incredible community groups and we’re delighted to support their efforts to bring arts and culture to every corner of West Northamptonshire.

“The projects we’ve funded are not only enriching our cultural landscape but are also making a real difference in people's lives, particularly among our most vulnerable residents.

“By promoting inclusivity, creativity, and wellbeing, these initiatives are helping to strengthen our communities and attract more people to experience the unique culture our area has to offer.”

See the full list of Community Funding Grants awarded on the WNC website.