News
Arts Council National Portfolio Investment Decision 2023-26
For the past four years Creativity Works, our partners and local communities, artists and volunteers have greatly benefited from National Portfolio investment from Arts Council England (ACE). Today, we were notified that we have not been successful in our application for the 2023-26 Investment Programme.
Today’s news is disappointing for our organisation, but we are aware of the financial pressures ACE were under and the enormous number of applications they received.
We became a National Portfolio Organisation in 2012, and its investment has enabled Creativity Works to leverage additional funding, expand and grow our delivery, employ more artists and connect and engage a greater number of people through creativity to boost their wellbeing and increase their life chances.
Both staff and the Board of Trustees have planned for this eventuality. Despite this setback we face the future with confidence – we have a committed and highly experienced staff team, an ambitious five-year business plan, significant contracted work to deliver, healthy reserves and a robust fundraising plan to help see the organisation through this period of change.
We will continue to operate as usual, working with our partners, artists, volunteers, participants and funders to improve the health and wellbeing of local people and communities.
Congratulations to all the successful organisations, we look forward to working alongside you and championing creativity together. We passionately believe everyone has the right to fulfil their creative potential and a greater diversity of National Portfolio Organisations will ultimately benefit our sector.
Quote from chair of the board, Martin Pople:
‘While this is of course a disappointment for the staff, board and all those with whom we have been working, Creativity Works has a long and proud history of inspiring and uplifting the people and places of North East Somerset for over forty years. Even in these increasingly difficult and challenging times, I am sure that Creativity Works will do all it can to continue its mission to help put art and creativity at the heart of a happy, healthy and truly humane society. “All artforms are in the service of the greatest of all arts: the art of living.” Bertolt Brecht.’