INDEPENDENT PRODUCER

Grimsby Creates is a unique opportunity to transform Grimsby into a vibrant town centre where heritage and creativity are enjoyed.  With £5.3m to be spent over 3 years, the creative development programme will deliver events, help creative organisations grow and build new spaces for creative business and events. 

I support the projects as part of the creative programme, offering a link between the sector and North East Lincolnshire Council. The creative programme includes:

• Paint the Town Proud
• Our Future Starts Here
• Edible Grimsby
• #MyFishGY
• Festival of the Sea
• People Power Partnership
• We Are Great Grimsby

In addition, I am leading a Trainee Producer Programme involving six emerging producers and local organisations, to match them each with a useful work placement alongside development workshops and go see visits.

Other parts of the role are advising more generally about events and plans for the town, linking in with the sector locally, and ongoing support for Grimsby Creates.

The Cultural Development Fund aims to allow cities and towns to invest in creative, cultural and heritage initiatives to impact on culture-led economic growth and productivity. This fund is from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) with a budget of £20 million available. Arts Council England (ACE) administer the fund on behalf of DCMS.

In 2018, 5 areas were successful with their bids to the Cultural Development Fund (CDF). £20m was shared between Creative Estuary, Plymouth, Wakefield, Worcester and Grimsby.

Grimsby received £3.2 million of the overall budget. The programme will deliver a new programme of international events and public art to revive the town centre, provide a business support programme for local creative businesses and create new production facilities in the town’s historic centre.