£198,000 grant boost for Burnley 2027 Year of Culture community volunteer programme

A grant of almost £200,000 secured by Burnley Leisure & Culture (BLC) will help to expand a flagship community volunteer programme at the heart of Burnley 2027 Year of Culture and its legacy.

The £198,000 funding has come from Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, one of the largest independent grant-makers in the UK, and will support the Burnley Culture Makers programme, growing an existing network of volunteers to 90 across the borough’s diverse communities.

They will be working alongside artists, producers and local organisations to design and deliver 15 neighbourhood based cultural events and experiences between 2026 and 2028, celebrating local people, stories and places while encouraging residents to explore and connect with communities beyond their own.

The two-year investment will also support:

• Engagement with over 5,000 residents as participants and audiences.
• Community-led cultural commissions and neighbourhood projects in every ward of Burnley.
• Skills development, leadership opportunities and progression pathways for volunteers.
• Stronger partnerships between communities, artists and cultural organisations.
• Long-term legacy planning to embed community commissioning and cultural leadership beyond Burnley 2027.

Established in 1961, the foundation is named in memory of Esmée Fairbairn, the wife of Ian Fairbairn, a leading City figure and a pioneer of the unit trust industry in the UK. Esmée, who had played a prominent role in developing the Women’s Royal Voluntary Service and the Citizens Advice Bureau, was killed in an air raid during the Second World War.

To date, the foundation has given over £1bn in grants towards charitable work and approved £100m in social investments for organisations creating a social or environmental impact.

The Culture Makers programme builds on the success of a pilot initiative by BLC previously supported by Burnley Council and UK Shared Prosperity Funding during 2025.

Charlotte Steels, Head of Culture at Burnley Leisure and Culture (BLC), which is spearheading the year of culture, says: “We are extremely grateful to the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation – this is the first significant grant for our year of culture and it’s turning the theme of ‘Ours to Make’ into action by empowering local residents to shape and co-create cultural experiences across the borough.

“The programme combines community listening, creative development and cultural commissioning to ensure local people have a meaningful role in cultural decision-making. It has already contributed more than 3,200 volunteer hours, demonstrating the appetite, commitment and capability of local residents to lead cultural change in their communities.

“By placing decision-making power closer to residents, Burnley Culture Makers aims to create lasting change in how culture is planned, delivered and experienced across the borough, ensuring the impact of Burnley 2027 continues well beyond the year of culture itself.”

BLC first revealed its year of culture ambition in 2024, with the ultimate aim of driving growth, fostering innovation, and creating a lasting legacy – including promoting social cohesion, civic pride and environmental sustainability.

If you would like to be part of the Burnley 2027 Year of Culture conversation, then get in touch with [email protected] 

IMAGES: Burnley Culture Makers with the cheque from Esmée Fairbairn Foundation