The council has just opened applications for culture and community groups to apply for a share of £85,000 grant funding to host events and activities this summer that “focus on creative wellbeing across the arts, culture and heritage”.
The council press release, coming just as the borough’s schools were breaking up for the summer holidays, appears just a tad “lastminute.com”, and more than a bit delusional. It refers to “the success of Croydon’s year as London Borough of Culture”. Oh dear…
This has all the appearance of a pot of public cash that has to be spent, or risk being returned whence it came (the Mayor of London?). There had been something posted on PR agency Grey Label’s little-read “This Is Croydon” website on June 10 – but few seem to have noticed…
Did the council keep schtum because they thought this was somehow election purdah restricted?
Whatever the true explanation, the whole grant process appears to be a massive afterthought. It is, in any case, something that might have been conducted two years earlier, to engage community and arts groups during the borough of culture project, rather than six months after it was all over.
“The council is creating a legacy of cultural wellbeing through the Croydon Loves You programme, which aims to tackle health inequalities,” according to the council’s press release.
“These are inequalities which are avoidable, unfair and include systematic differences in health between different groups of people.” Yep, exactly the sort of thing that 14 years of austerity has caused or contributed to.
“Croydon voluntary, community, faith and small arts and culture organisations are invited to explore the relationship between culture and wellbeing for those experiencing health inequalities,” according to the council.
The council then goes on to list a series of potential events, many of which community groups have been staging regardless, often for nil or no cost: “These activities could be anything from wellbeing nature walks in Croydon’s parks and green spaces, including accessible walks for people who are blind or have visual impairments, to group art activities, cultural storytelling events, singing together, and educational cooking and food sharing projects.”
If your organisation wants or needs to apply for some form of grant – of up to £5,000 each – you need to get your skates on. The council issued its press release less than a month before the deadline of August 2. “The event or project must be completed by 24 September 2024.” Did we mention that this smacks of an afterthought?
“The funds can support elements of pre-existing creative events and activities, such as improving access for deaf and disabled participants.”
For more information, visit: http://www.culturecroydon.com/news
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