£600k Arts Council England funding boost for Burnley’s 2027 Year of Culture

Funding of almost £600,000 will create work opportunities for young people, support local creative talent and help build a lasting legacy from Burnley’s 2027 Year of Culture.

Burnley Leisure and Culture (BLC) has secured £599,936 from Arts Council England’s National Lottery Place Partnership programme as part of the build-up to the ambitious year-long event.

The two-year investment will support This Place and the Possibility of Us, a BLC-led partnership bringing together local creative, community and business organisations to work with Burnley Council, Lancashire County Council, Burnley College and the University of Lancashire, among others.

Its aim is to give more people opportunities to get involved in culture, build skills and experience through apprenticeships and internships, and help shape Burnley’s cultural future.

The funding is the latest boost for the year of culture following a two-year £198,000 grant from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, one of the largest independent grant-makers in the UK, to support the Burnley Culture Makers community volunteer programme.

Charlotte Steels, BLC’s Head of Culture, says: “This latest news is fantastic for Burnley and a significant investment in our people, communities and the borough’s creative future.

“It means more young people can gain valuable experience, more local artists and creatives can develop their skills and careers, and more residents can get involved in shaping what happens in their own communities.

“Most importantly, we want everyone in Burnley to feel that culture is for them. Whether that means going to an event, volunteering, developing a creative idea, gaining work experience or simply discovering something new where they live. There will be lots of different ways to be part of it.

“Burnley 2027 is a chance for us to celebrate everything that makes our borough special, but we also want it to create opportunities that last well beyond one year.”

Opportunities for young people

Work experience and volunteering opportunities will help young people gain practical experience and explore possible routes into creative and cultural careers.

These include eight paid internships and apprenticeships, along with a chance for young people and graduates to develop their own creative ideas.

The programme will strengthen links between schools, colleges and cultural organisations and support the development of a new youth strategy, helping young people have a stronger voice in Burnley’s future.

Supporting local talent and creativity

The investment will also help Burnley’s artists, creatives, community organisations and cultural groups to develop their skills, make new connections and create more opportunities locally.

This will include workshops, mentoring, training, networking and professional development. There will be a particular focus on opening up opportunities to people from different backgrounds and making Burnley’s cultural and creative sector more representative of the communities it serves.

Bringing culture into communities

Local people will have opportunities to help decide what cultural activity happens in their communities, with new projects and commissions developed alongside residents, young people and community organisations.

This will help bring culture to people in new and unexpected places, making it easier for more residents to get involved while encouraging people to come together, get outdoors and experience their town in different ways.

David Gaffney, Senior Relationship Manager, Arts Council England, says: “I was delighted to attend the launch of Burnley’s 2027 Year of Culture, which we are supporting through our National Lottery Project Grants programme.

“Our investment will support arts, cultural and community organisations and local businesses to work together to provide opportunities for local people to develop their skills and work experience so that they can undertake creative careers, as well as to help shape Burnley’s cultural future. The Year of Culture is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate Burnley while creating activities and pathways for the future.”