Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Michelle Donelan has welcomed a £541,107 boost to arts organisations in her Chippenham parliamentary constituency.

The Wiltshire Music Centre in Bradford on Avon has been awarded £310,638 and The Pound Arts Centre in Corsham £230,469 by the Arts Council England spread over the next three years.

In total, seven organisations in Wiltshire – from Swindon to Salisbury to Corsham - will receive a share of over £2.2 million a year, ensuring that more people in more places can find fantastic, fulfilling art and culture on their doorsteps.

Miss Donelan said: “It’s absolutely fantastic that Pound Arts in Corsham and Wiltshire Music Centre in Bradford-on-Avon will receive £541,107 of Government and National Lottery investment from Arts Council England over the next three years!

“I’ve long supported and campaigned for additional funding for both groups and have visited regularly, given talks and held events at both venues - first as the candidate for the area and then since as your MP.

“Back in September 2020, the two groups were awarded £253,049 as part of the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund to help with the recovery from the pandemic, and I can’t wait to see both groups now use this additional funding to continue going from strength to strength.

“The work that Pound Arts do, and the facilities which they offer, are truly loved in the community, whilst the Wiltshire Music Centre really is a unique, world-renowned hub for education, with over 800 musicians rehearsing there every single week!

“It’s brilliant to see these venues getting the recognition they deserve; they are both a real testament to the local talent and culture we are so lucky to have here in Wiltshire. I will be visiting both again in the next few weeks to catch up with the teams there!”

The Wiltshire Music Centre attracts world-renowned performers from across the classical, world, contemporary, jazz and folk genres.

The Centre provides a permanent home for local orchestras, choirs and music groups, and works extensively with young people locally through a vibrant and varied Creative Learning Programme in Wiltshire and beyond.

It will be paid £103,546 per annum for a three-year period from 2023 to 2026 to help deliver Arts Council England’s “Let’s Create” strategy to widen access, inclusion and involvement for all in the arts and culture.

Elsewhere in Wiltshire, the Pound Arts Trust will receive £230,469, whilst Wiltshire Creative will receive just over £3.9 million.

Increased funding is also on the cards for Swindon-based Prime Theatre (£622,665), Create Studios (£557,052), Swindon Dance (£629,982) and Tangle (£458,574), each of which has developed strong track records in developing cultural and creative skills and talent in the town.

Miss Donelan added: “Additional funding into the South West’s cultural institutions will help improve access to the arts for people where they live.

“We have been clear that the arts are for everyone and this investment will help even more people get access to the region’s brilliant cultural offer.” 

James Slater, the Wiltshire Music Centre’s artistic director and chief executive, said: “This is a moment of celebration for our supporters, our staff and trustees, our volunteers, performers, practitioners, audiences and our wider community.

“This award demonstrates the value that is placed on our work, that we are delivering the very highest quality cultural experiences for our community, and that we have the ambition and determination to reach new audiences.

“We are delighted to be welcoming our audiences and participants back to a full programme of activity this season and this award really helps us to look forward with confidence as we approach our 25th Anniversary Year.”