£120k boost for art and culture in Mid Suffolk
The Mid Suffolk Culture Fund was first awarded in 2025 to support community organisations that contribute to the rich culture of the district and help provide opportunities for people to engage with the arts. Up to £20,000 was made available for each project and a total of £100,505 awarded during the first funding round.
This year, 10 organisations have received a share of £119,496, with projects covering a wide range of areas and all age groups.
Among the recipients is the Stowmarket Culture Group, which has been awarded £15,000 for the delivery of the ‘Jubilant’ youth summer arts festival, and Orchestras Live, which will use a grant of more than £8,000 to facilitate an intergenerational orchestral project in Eye and the surrounding areas.
There’s a further £12,494 for Wingfield Barns CIC to fund four-day Easter drama workshops and £14,843 for DanceEast’s dance-based intervention for people living with dementia and their carers.
Further funding has been awarded to the John Peel Centre and The Food Museum as part of their long-standing partnership with Mid Suffolk District Council, supporting to continue providing exciting experiences and opportunities.
Other recipients of the Culture Fund include the East Anglian Traditional Music Trust, the Association for Suffolk Museums, Suffolk Artlink and Stowmarket Carnival.
Cllr Tim Weller, Mid Suffolk District Council cabinet member for environment, culture and wellbeing, said: “In Mid Suffolk, we’re lucky to live in an incredibly unique, creative and vibrant district full of people and organisations dedicated to the arts.
“We’ve always known how important it is to protect and enhance our heritage and culture, so I’m excited that we have once again been able to fund a great range of projects that people of all ages can benefit from.”
The next application window is set to open this Autumn, in readiness of the 2027/28 funding round, with another £110,000 available to be applied for.
To find out more information about the Mid Suffolk Culture Fund, as well as a full list of other available grants, visit the community funding page of the Mid Suffolk District Council website.
Full list of Mid Suffolk Culture Fund grants:
|
Applicant |
Project |
Award |
|
DanceEast |
Dance-based intervention supporting people living with dementia and their carers. |
£14,843 |
|
Stowmarket Carnival |
|
£9,290 |
|
Stowmarket Culture Group |
Jubilant Festival 2026 |
£15,000 |
|
Food Museum |
Core funding (MSDC strategic partner) |
£20,600 |
|
John Peel Centre |
Training for volunteers, marketing costs and extra staff support |
£15,200 |
|
Wingfield Barns CIC |
Easter half term four-day drama workshops, upgrading of sound and projection equipment, replace stage lighting, printer and outside benches |
£12,494 |
|
East Anglian Traditional Music Trust |
Traditional Music Day, support towards event promotion and outreach programme (schools and community engagement) |
£10,000 |
|
Association for Suffolk Museums |
Recruit and retain a museum project officer for two years to work with museums across Suffolk (including Mid Suffolk) to deliver a community grant programme, provide professional advice, run marketing campaigns and manage the website |
£4,000 |
|
Orchestras Live |
Intergenerational orchestral project based in Eye and surrounding areas |
£8,604.25 |
|
Suffolk Artlink |
Creative sessions for people communities experiencing rural isolation, people living with long term conditions and family carers. Early years children and their families – a programme of participatory musical play sessions for children aged up to five years and their families/carers. |
£9,464.75 |
