Norwich Arts Centre appointed Creative Producer for Luton

Norwich Arts Centre has been appointed Creative Producer for Luton by Arts Council England (ACE).

The appointment is the final award to be made through ACE’s £1.5m Luton Investment Programme. The three-year programme marks a “new approach” to funding that ACE said could “influence how we work with / invest in places in the future”.

Norwich Arts Centre will receive £340k to deliver projects with Great Yarmouth’s SeaChange Arts and local partners over the next three years.

The projects will have a particular focus on engaging young people and diverse communities. They also hope to attract high-quality touring work to Luton and to expand opportunities for local artists.

Director of Norwich Arts Centre Pasco Kelvin said: “Luton is at a really exciting point in its cultural development and we are thrilled to be part of it. Working shoulder-to-shoulder with local cultural colleagues, artists and audiences, we’ll establish a programme of arts and culture that excites and inspires everyone in equal measure.”

A complete programme

ACE awarded £1.16m through four of the Luton Investment Programme’s five strands earlier this year. There were no successful applicants to the ‘Creative Producer’ strand, so ACE put out a new call and widened its remit.

Other awards were made to Luton Culture, the University of Bedfordshire, Luton Borough Council and Watford Palace Theatre. They will deliver arts events, training for local artists and a ten-year strategic vision for arts and culture.

This new approach to investment was adopted by ACE after a number of Luton’s key arts organisations lost funding in recent years, including Luton Centre for Carnival Arts and The Hat Factory.

Luton is one of three ‘super diverse’ populations outside of London – where no single ethnic group is in the majority. The Programme aims to ensure its cultural offer has “something for everyone”.