Twelve Manchester organisations to share nearly £1m in council grants

A dozen arts organisations are set to share nearly £1 million in council grants over the next three years, it’s been announced.

In all, £939,982 will be shared between Brighter Sound, the Castlefield Gallery, Community Arts North West, Contact theatre, Hope Mill Theatre and Manchester Histories. Also benefiting are Manchester Jazz Festival, Manchester Jewish Museum, Manchester Literature Festival, Odd Arts, Reform Radio, and Venture Arts.

The grants have been awarded by Manchester City Council, which invited organisations to bid for a slice of the funding pie. Bosses believe that the city will see a return on its investment, with Manchester's cultural organisations generating an estimated economic impact of £213.2 million in 201/22.

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“Manchester has a long history of supporting culture and the arts and for good reason,” Councillor Luthfur Rahman OBE, the deputy leader of the council, said. “The arts enrich all our lives and help make Manchester a better place to live, work, and invest in.

“The city is home to some amazing arts organisations, and we want everyone to benefit from the fantastic cultural opportunities on our doorstep, of which there are many - whether that's as an artist, or working for one of them, or as an audience member.

"Culture and the arts are for everyone, they're good for us, and we're determined to continue supporting and investing in the sector and doing everything we can to further increase participation."

The grant funding starts next month and will be in place until March 2026. A spokesperson for the authority said ‘funding was awarded to organisations based in the city or