The aim is to "ensure that citizens in areas with historically low levels of arts participation and funding will see a major change in their ability to access and participate in culture."
The government expects that this approach will support a meaningful shift over time of investment and participation in culture in Rotherham and the other 80 designated Culture Priority Places.
The move builds on the Arts Council England announcement in 2021 that Rotherham would be one of 15 priority places in the North where they want to develop new opportunities for investment.
Though no money has been announced yet, Rotherham's inclusion on the list relates specifically for application in programmes relating to museums, libraries, the visual and performing arts. The government said that the Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) "will work with funding partners (including the Arts Council) and others to determine for which policies, programmes, and funds this list of Culture Priority Places will be used, and in what way."
The latest announcement also comes after an Independent Review of the Arts Council.
The Hodge Review included a recommendation for a proposed National Portfolio for Individuals, and a proposed cultural education and educational enrichment fund that will be targeted at under-served areas. Work to identify local artists, bringing them together with local community organisations and schools would develop a genuine bottom up cultural offer and opportunities. A proposed new framework for decision-making with regional boards covering smaller geographic areas would ensure that funding is more closely linked to community needs.
Flux Rotherham is one organisation supported by Arts Council England, through the Creative People & Places (CPP) scheme. Securing £1m, Flux is working to create a cultural movement that celebrates diversity, supports personal growth, and fosters connections among people. They aim to build a legacy where art is accessible to everyone and is an integral part of Rotherham’s community. By 2030, they plan to establish Rotherham as a cultural hub, ensuring that everyone has regular opportunities to enjoy high-quality art and explore their own creativity, heritage, and identity.
Lisa Nandy MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, said: "The extraordinary diversity of our people, places, traditions and disciplines – across ballet, northern soul, opera and street art - creates one of the most vibrant, sought-after artistic scenes in the world, drawing on the contribution of the whole nation and all the people in it. All of us deserve the chance to be part of it and in turn we need all of us to sustain it.
"We lose the things that matter in two ways, gradually, then all at once. That is why our government is determined, especially in these difficult times, to support, nurture and protect the arts. Indifference is a choice with the most profound consequences, and we are choosing to back the arts, for our people and for our country."
Images: Flux Rotherham
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