Culture West

Culture West, is a £3.1 million programme, consisting of £1 million from Arts Council England, £1.5 million in match funding from the Mayoral Combined Authority, and £640,000 from regional partners, designed to nurture the expansion of creativity and culture in the region.

18 organisations, comprising the unitary authorities, universities, agencies and service providers, are working together to deliver 12 projects over two years; all of which are open to creatives based across the West of England region including North Somerset.  Projects include freelancer support, access to spaces, commissioning new festivals and skills training.

A Creative Freelancer Resource Map has been developed available here  Culture West – West of England Combined Authority (westofengland-ca.gov.uk) showing offers/support available and wider opportunities as they become available.

Image Credit: Trigger, The Hatchling, Credit: Dom Moore

Creative and Cultural Membership Organisations

Weston Artspace provides space for members to create, rehearse, work and meet, delivers funded arts projects and runs exhibitions and open days.  To find out more: https://www.westonartspace.com/

North Somerset Arts promotes artistic and cultural activities by professional and amateur artists, signposts to financial support, engages with businesses on how arts can support businesses, organises events for members.  To find out more:  https://www.northsomersetarts.org/

Visual Arts South West promotes exhibitions and events, publicises opportunities and shares documents, insights and tools.  To find out more:  https://www.vasw.org.uk/

Image: Arcadia Spectacular’s Spider  Photo Ben Daure

Workspace

Culture West Arts Membership Pilot

A pilot project to make affordable space and equipment available to creatives through a membership scheme.  Working with local creatives the council is currently identifying potential premises.  To find out more contact superweston@n-somerset.gov.uk

Office and creative workspace

We Are Super  https://www.wearesuperstudios.com/  A new community of start-ups/freelancers/small businesses in the of Weston.  Office spaces, flexible coworking desks, a bookable meeting room + business support and a network to find collaborators and partners.

Clevedon Craft Centre  http://www.clevedoncraftcentre.co.uk/  Craft and retail space.

The Stable  https://www.thestable.online/  Private office space, co-working space, bookable meeting rooms.

Careers and Education in Creative Industries

Weston College/University Centre Weston:

• delivers a range of creative courses for school leavers in Art and Design, Performance, Games, Music and Film and Photography, including at degree level through its University Centre Weston courses
• provides adult Education courses in Art and Design, Performing and Production Arts and Photography

Employers are involved in the design of courses through the Creative Careers Excellence Hub, ensuring college students gain the skills required to secure careers in industry. Contact employers@weston.ac.uk to discuss ways in which your business can access future talent.

Image: Culture Weston

Public Art

Weston-super-Mare is home to 50+ unique murals brought to the town by Upfest in partnership with Weston-super-Mare Town Council, Super Culture and supported by Arts Council England.  Weston Wallz was launched in September 2021 and the success of the festival has led to further events in 2022 and 2023, with further murals painted in 2024.

A diverse selection of local, national and international artists have created the large scale artworks.  One-of-a-kind designs have been created by each artist bringing their own style and flare to a variety of buildings in the town.

View the interactive map and find out more about the artists here  https://superculture.org.uk/listings/weston-wallz/

In Portishead, centred around The Marina, extending into the Port Marine and Village Quarter housing developments, more than twenty outstanding visual artists have contributed to the Portishead Public Art Trail. Their works, which reflect the town’s rich history and heritage, are integrated into the landscape.

For further information visit https://www.visitportishead.net/art-trail.php

Artists wishing to create public art on North Somerset Council land should follow the Requirements for Temporary Public Art.

Mural: Dan Kitchener

North Somerset Cultural Audit and Action Plan

Co-commissioned by North Somerset Council and Arts Council England, the Cultural Audit and Action Plan reflects on the strategic significance of North Somerset’s cultural and creative industries in the cultural landscape of the South West. The plan contains recommended actions that were developed in consultation with individuals and organisations living and working in North Somerset, with the purpose of underpinning the sector’s continued growth from 2024-2028.

North Somerset remains a Priority Place for Arts Council England and a Levelling Up For Culture place. This plan reflects North Somerset Council’s intention to maximise the benefit of Priority Place status for those working in the sector and also reflects North Somerset’s Corporate Plan timeline, from 2024-2028.

Dizzy O’Dare, Image credit: Paul Blakemore

• Creative Industries Support Plan
• Cultural Audit and Action Plan