£1.6m arts and culture funding set for approval

A £1.6m funding pot to support arts and cultural activity across Leeds is set to be approved by senior councillors.The latest arts@leeds grants programme, which aims to support more than 40 Leeds-based cultural, voluntary and community organisations, will go before the council’s executive board this week.If approved, over the next 12 months the £1.6m funding programme will provide financial support to applicants ranging from grass roots local groups to some of the city’s larger, world-famous arts organisations.The scheme will also align with the Leeds 2023 year of culture and begin the transition to a new culture investment programme, which set to be developed in consultation with the sector in the autumn and help cement the Leeds 2023 legacy.Arts organisations will be eligible to apply for funding starting at £5,000.In 2021/22, organisations which received arts@leeds funding generated £15.7m through ticket sales and income, with more than 75,000 people taking part in creative and cultural activities.Councillor Jonathan Pryor, Leeds City Council’s executive member for economy, culture and education, said: “Leeds has a quite astonishing breadth of arts and cultural organisations delivering activity which makes a real, tangible difference at the heart of our communities as well as creating stunning, world class performances and events.”The arts@leeds programme has played an integral role in bringing many of those projects to life and we’re proud to be once again backing local cultural organisations and supporting their vision and ambition.”Cultural activity makes a huge contribution to the city’s economy, generating income, growth and inward investment while also showcasing exactly why Leeds is such an incredible place to live, work and visit.”