ReNEW Small Grants Reopen

Creative leaders, businesses, charities, and voluntary groups are invited to apply for small grants to bring Bromsgrove’s redundant and unusual spaces to life.

The ReNEW Small Grants are part of the work of ReNEW, a partnership of local business, arts, heritage, environment, youth, and community groups. ReNEW is the largest participation programme of the Cultural Compact for North East Worcestershire.

The selecting committee are particularly looking for projects that help tell people’s stories and create pride in a place.

There are grants available between £500 and £2,000. Grants are for projects which will bring creative activities to spaces in Bromsgrove for people aged 16 and over.

Projects where the activities proposed align with the Heritage Open Days festival are being encouraged, and an accelerated outcome will be given to those who apply for a ReNEW Small Grant by 22 July.

Cabinet Member for Leisure and Climate Change, Cllr. Bernard McEldowney, said: “The ReNEW Small Grants are a really good opportunity for local individuals and groups to take on a project that they normally would not have adequate financial resources to undertake. I encourage any individual or group who feel they might be interested in this initiative to request an application form and have a chat with the ReNEW Team to see what projects they could bring to life.”

The deadline for submitting applications not related to the Heritage Open Days festival is 2 September.

ReNEW aims to increase participation in arts and creative activities, especially in those communities where there are more barriers to participation. Nurturing new relationships between local businesses and community groups to encourage new and innovative ways of delivering activities.

Chair of the Cultural Compact for North East Worcestershire, Jane Earl, said: “ReNEW is a really important strand of the work being accomplished by the Cultural Compact for North East Worcestershire. These small grants play a vital role in empowering those in our compact and within the community to bring activities to fruition that encourage residents to feel pride in their local areas.”

In the first round of grants nine projects were successful in being awarded funds, 5 in Bromsgrove. The projects were wide ranging in their activities from Creative Arts Showcase pop up workshops offering a variety of activities including art, craft, sewing skills and reworking old items in redundant spaces in and near Bromsgrove town, including activities at Bromsgrove Festival in June to Rubery Village Association – ‘Love Rubery’ a week of activities in late March and the rejuvenation of Rubery Park wall space community artwork during the spring and early summer.

The ReNEW Small Grants project has received £33,000 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

For more information and an application form please visit https://www.bromsgrove.gov.uk/renew/small-grants-programme/ or contact the team on renew@bromsgroveandredditch.gov.uk.