Major investment in community projects

York’s arts, culture and voluntary sectors are set to receive a financial boost of almost £350,000 through the latest raft of investment from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

This investment round focuses on projects that promote equality and diversity and which support minority groups to access the arts, culture, heritage and voluntary sectors.

The six projects supported by the funding are:

• York Centre for Voluntary Services will receive a £144,000 grant to expand the York Volunteer Centre, supporting 450 volunteers to make a difference in their communities, training senior leaders in the voluntary sector and recruiting more volunteers from under-represented communities.

• York-based theatre company, Next Door But One is set to receive £18,150 to produce 16 performances aimed at neurodiverse audiences, while offering training opportunities for local arts professionals and emerging businesses.

• Volunteer it Yourself has been awarded £60,000 worth of funding to work with 75 young volunteers to refurbish and transform five local community, arts and cultural venues in York.

• Now in its thirteenth year, Aesthetica Film Festival has been awarded £20,300 to screen new films that explore the diversity of York’s population and that of the UK, showcasing stories of communities that are currently under-represented in the UK media and film industry.

• A grant of £96,000 has been awarded to Quantum Vantage to run IGNITE Social Enterprises, a course offering practical workshop, bespoke support and personalised coaching to help 75 social enterprises in York secure investment and scale their business.

Councillor Pete Kilbane, Deputy Leader of the Council and Executive Member for Economy and Transport, welcomed the news, saying: 

“These investments will support organisations that already do fantastic work in our communities. The funding will help them to improve health and wellbeing, further champion equality and inclusivity, and help people gain opportunities that may otherwise have been out of reach.

“We received a number of very high-quality submissions for funding, and I’d like to thank all the organisations which put time and effort into applying to the scheme.

“I’m looking forward to seeing the positive impact in the months and years ahead.”

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a central pillar of the UK government’s Levelling Up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills.

More investments will be announced later this year.

For more information about the UKSPF, click here.

To find out more about York’s investment plan for UKSPF funding click here.