£110,000 of grants awarded to support Berwick’s creative and cultural sector
More than £110,000 of grants have been awarded to support creative and cultural sector in Berwick-upon-Tweed – and applications are now being invited for the next round of funding.
Projects and organisations which have already secured funding include Berwick Music Society; Berwick Heritage Open Days steering group; and a storytelling residency for schools, at Berwick Library.
The Creative Action Fund is managed by Create Berwick, which aims to transform the town through culture-led regeneration. Create Berwick manager, Andrea Oliver, explains more:
“The Creative Action Fund awards grants of up to £5,000 to creative practitioners, cultural organisations and community groups. It’s there to help people develop new skills, grow businesses, test new ideas and deliver projects – which all add to Berwick’s growing creative economy.”
To date, the Creative Action Fund has supported 29 projects including Berwick Music Society, which received a grant of £4,550. The Society is now presenting its first season of concerts at venues across the town. “Berwick was one of the few towns in the region without a music society; this has now changed!” said Dr Michael Worboys, founder of Berwick Music Society. “I’m proud to showcase work by composers and performers in Northumberland and the Borders and to reach out to our local community to encourage more involvement in music.”
Berwick Heritage Open Days steering group was awarded a grant to fund the production of a map, guiding visitors around Berwick’s Heritage Open Days Festival. Linda Bankier from the steering group said: “This map has helped make Heritage Open Days more accessible and engaging for everyone. It’s a testament to the power of collaboration between creatives, businesses, and the community.”
Berwick writer and storyteller, Chris Adriaanse, is delivering Berwick Library’s storytelling residency, which has reached more than 370 pupils from eight schools. “Stories and the imagination are so important in developing our creativity. Books and reading are a core part of that,” said Chris. “It is my hope that this residency helps more children to explore the library, their imaginations and stories in all their forms. This project wouldn’t have been possible without this funding and it has already led to other opportunities.”
Applications now invited for round five of funding
Applications are now invited for round five of the Creative Action Fund, with grants of between £1,000 and £5,000 available. Funding is available to support projects using any art form, which involve community activity and support the development of the town’s creative economy.
“Creative Berwick exists to support the growth of our town’s cultural sector and in turn attract more visitors, create jobs and make Berwick an even better place to live, work and visit – and the Creative Action Fund is a core part of this” said Andrea Oliver. “The fund is here to support our creative community, from individual artists and musicians to members of our community groups and cultural venues. So if you have an idea or a project you think could be eligible for funding we’d love to hear from you.”
The closing date for applications for this round of the Creative Action Fund is 31 July 2025.
