Greater Manchester will use £1.5million of National Lottery money to fund ‘transformative’ arts and heritage projects across the region.
The city-region was one of 16 pilot areas across England to receive investment as part of the Great Place scheme – a £20million National Lottery-funded programme that will enable cultural, community and civic organisations to work more closely together.
The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), which represents the ten boroughs within the city-region, was awarded the maximum permitted sum of £1,489,255.
Nathan Lee, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund, believes the strength of the region’s diversity – and its rich cultural legacy – were the winning factors in its successful bid for funding.
“Greater Manchester is a vibrant beating heart of the North, a place of great cultural diversity and community pride. This National Lottery investment promises to build on that legacy,” said Mr Lee.
GMCA will invest the money in the region’s Stronger Together strategy – an ambitious three-year-plan to stimulate economic growth and improve community cohesion.
The allocation of the lottery funds towards Stronger Together is recognition of the important role that culture and heritage can play in realising GMCA’s vision for the region’s future.
Councillor Alex Ganotis, GMCA Lead Member for Culture, Arts and Leisure, proclaimed: “We’re going to demonstrate that through intelligent and collaborative working, culture creates real economic and social benefit for our whole city-region.
“With so many fantastic museums, galleries, facilities and historic sites across our city-region we’re brilliantly suited to the task.”
The funding is expected to ‘maximise the impact’ of Greater Manchester’s arts and heritage infrastructure and create a more culturally democratic city-region for its 2.7million residents.
“Arts, culture and heritage are part of Greater Manchester’s DNA and this funding will ensure they are part of our future story,” Mr Ganotis added.
The Great Place scheme is funded by the National Lottery and delivered through a partnership between Arts Council England, Heritage Lottery Fund and Historic England.
