Creative Scene is a programme of arts and creative activities and events made with, and for the people of Kirklees, West Yorkshire. It seeks to encourage more people to experience and be inspired by the arts – of all kinds. It is one of the projects funded by Arts Council England, the national funding body for the Arts, a fund to focus their investment where people are less involved in arts and cultural activities than elsewhere in England.
Groups of local stakeholders – a consortium of groups and organisations – were invited to join our Partnership Group and put together proposals as to how they could deliver on this ambition. Creative Scene is not a funding programme- rather, we develop partnerships that can support the ambitions of the programme to deliver outcomes to priority audiences and participants, and help develop the creative briefs for projects with communities. We commission creative practitioners and provide project management and production. We take an ‘Action Research’ approach- exploring and trying out ways to bring together communities, artists and arts organisations that could lead to more people taking part in and engaging in the arts.
What makes Creative Scene unique, is that the arts activity driven by local communities, designed by, for and with people, so that it is relevant, inspiring and accessible. Our approach has always been to bring arts, creativity and events to the places where people live, work, shop and play.
After a successful bid by the Partnership Group, to the Creative People and Places Arts Council England National Portfolio (NPO) in 2021, we started on a new programme with funding totalling £1m secured for 3 years until March 2025.
In May 2024, we are eligible to apply for an extension year, which will extend our programme of activity until March 2026.
Our full Delivery Plan for 2022 to 2025 can be found here.
Place Based Needs Assessment can be found here.