- ACE dance and music in Birmingham to benefit from a share of £24.2 million through Arts Council England’s Capital Investment Programme.
- The Capital Investment Programme award will allow us to refurbish an old car repair workshop in Digbeth to create a new theatre/studio and shared creative space that is accessible and environmentally friendly.
- Awards from Arts Council England’s Capital Investment Programme go towards building works and the purchase of equipment and other assets to improve access, seize on technological opportunities and reduce environmental impact.
Photographer: Brian Slater, 2023
8 May, 2024. ACE dance and music will receive £750,000 from Arts Council England, thanks to its Government-funded Capital Investment Programme, as announced today.
We will use the funding to re-purpose a semi-derelict, former car repair workshop over 13 months to be our permanent, owned home. The investment will increase the visibility of Black-led dance companies with a new performance space; support emerging and youth dancers/musicians from under-represented groups into backstage/performance careers with increased opportunities; run more opportunities for individuals to participate in African diasporic dance forms/music through an enhanced participation programme; and lead to improved environmental and access provision.
The Capital Investment Programme supports the Arts Council’s mission to ensure communities across the country have the infrastructure where creativity for everyone can thrive.
Photographer: Val Adamson for JOMBA! 2023
Paul Udenze, Chair of the Trustees said: “We are delighted to receive this funding which will allow us to realise our dream of owning our own building, a building where we can make the internationally acclaimed dance for touring that we are known for and inspire the next generation of young people to dance.”
Peter Knott, Midlands Area Director at Arts Council England said:
“Our Capital funding is an investment in buildings and equipment that organisations need to deliver great art and culture in their communities.
We’re delighted to award ACE Dance and Music £750,000, meaning they can double the space they currently have, allowing more people to take part and enjoy African and Caribbean dance forms and music. This will raise the profile of Black-led dance companies and support emerging young dancers and musicians, whatever their background, into backstage and performance careers.”
Darren Henley, Chief Executive, Arts Council England said: “This infrastructure investment will help a whole range of different cultural organisations across England to flourish, increasing opportunities for people to enjoy creatively excellent cultural events close to where they live. It’s particularly important that we’re making this happen in communities where cultural investment has historically been low”.
Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay, Minister for Arts, Heritage and Libraries, said: “Cultural venues enrich our lives, and it’s vital that their infrastructure matches the excellence of the creative work that goes on inside them. Our funding is helping both to create new venues and to adapt existing ones to make them more accessible, helping to deliver the Government’s plan to make sure that everyone, no matter where they live or what their background, has access to excellent, life-changing cultural opportunities.”
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About Arts Council England
Arts Council England is the national development agency for creativity and culture. We have set out our strategic vision in Let’s Create that by 2030 we want England to be a country in which the creativity of each of us is valued and given the chance to flourish and where everyone of us has access to a remarkable range of high-quality cultural experiences. From 2023 to 2026 we will invest over £467 million of public money from Government and an estimated £250 million from The National Lottery each year to help support the sector and to deliver this vision. (www.artscouncil.org.uk)