Arts Development Programme and Arts Trail Project comes to Crewe

Crewe Town Council has been awarded UKSPF funding to deliver an Arts Development Project and Arts Trail between January 2024 and March 2025. The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) is a central government grant stream, delegated to local authorities for specific outcomes such as local arts, cultural, heritage and creative activities.

Crewe Town Council’s Arts Development programme is designed to nurture, support and facilitate participation in high-quality creative activities that will produce a number of artistic outcomes that showcase the skills, knowledge, creativity and unique heritage in Crewe. The project will culminate in an Arts Trail made up of permanent and temporary pieces of work, which will be displayed in accessible locations throughout the town for residents and visitors alike to enjoy.

The projects will be developed with the community to ensure the outcomes are reflective of their skills, ambitions and the rich heritage of Crewe.

Through this project, participants will be supported to help them learn and develop skills, leaving Crewe not only with a beautiful arts trail but also with empowered creatives with the know-how to fund, create, curate and showcase more of their artworks in future.

Arts and culture has the potential to boost Crewe’s economic growth by bringing people in to the town centre and establishing creative job opportunities. Not only does arts and culture bring prosperity, it brings communities together, has a wide range of positive impacts on health and wellbeing and boosts community pride.

Crewe Town Council has teamed up with cultural experts from Counterculture Partnership to deliver the project.

Sarah Green from the Counterculture Partnership commented:

“For this project we will draw on Crewe’s rich creative ecology and heritage to connect and engage with communities today, so that together we can build skills and create opportunities for the future.”

“The research and development phase of the project is currently underway with consultation and community engagement taking place to establish priorities for the arts development programme and to develop partnerships and briefs for the commissioning and delivery of the trail.  If you are keen to hear more and get involved, we would love to hear from you!”

A representative from Crewe Town Council said:

“Counterculture Partnership has experience of working with a variety of organisations from local authorities to museums and galleries, nationally and internationally. We are excited to see the impact their people-centred, innovative approach to arts, culture and engagement has on Crewe.”