Over £118,000 to support Hampshire's culture and community organisations

Thursday, 24 January 2013

Groups and organisations that promote culture, community, music and the arts across Hampshire are set to benefit from £118,010 in grants from Hampshire County Council.

At his Decision Day on 21 January 2013, the County Council's Executive Member for Culture and Recreation, Councillor Keith Chapman awarded £6,450 of funding in the current financial year, and £111,560 for 2013/14.

The latest round of financial support is from one of five new grants streams set up earlier this year. It follows an extensive review of all the grants given by the County Council to cultural, recreational and community organisations in order that a more sustainable system for financial support from the Council could be provided in future. In the current economic climate, it also encourages more groups to become financially independent, while better meeting the needs of local communities.

For 2013/14 and beyond, an improved application process has now been introduced that complements the work of the County Council in meeting the needs of Hampshire's 1.3million residents and aims to encourage greater numbers of groups to come forward to apply for financial support.

As a result, applications from 44 groups have been received so far for the coming financial year, among those to benefit in this round are; Grayshott Concerts, Botley Music Festival Organising Group, Canoe England Southern Region Development Team, The British Red Cross Hampshire for first aid training for young people, Jane Austen's House Museum, Rowner Community Trust, Winchester Street Dance Academy, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Lawn Tennis Association, and the Andover-based Hampshire New Victoria County History Project.

Councillor Keith Chapman said: "By encouraging and providing opportunities for people to participate and enjoy a range of community focussed, cultural and recreational activities, these groups play an important role in supporting our work, particularly in the current economic climate as financial pressures continue.

"Having modernised and streamlined the Council's grant application system, this means we can continue to support these groups with financial backing and, by providing a fair and level playing field for all funding applicants, we hope to encourage even more organisations to come forward and apply in future."

• Culture and Community Activity Grants 2012/2013 and 2013/14

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