The Hub is proud to announce our involvement in three successful bids after being awarded funding by Lincolnshire One Venues’ Connecting Communities Creative Grants.

These grants have been recently awarded as part of an ambitious four-year project, which is now in its final year. Lincolnshire One Venues aims to support, sustain, and develop creativity across the entirety of Lincolnshire in collaboration with nine venues throughout the county.

Out of a pool of fourteen successful projects across the county, the Hub is thrilled to be part of three winning initiatives, showcasing the remarkable creative diversity and broad reach of the Connecting Communities project.

The first project is led by the Hub Dance Team and will see the relaunch and redevelopment of the Unify Dance Festival. This celebratory event brings together dance groups comprising D/deaf, Neurodiverse, disabled, and non-disabled dancers from Lincolnshire and surrounding counties. The festival will be held at Lincoln’s brand-new venue, Southside. The awarded funding will support a workshop programme that spans the county, offering dancers the opportunity to acquire new skills while championing social inclusion, friendship, and teamwork within a safe and supportive environment.

A second project is led by Jo Tolley and focuses specifically on Lincolnshire’s disabled community. Her project aims to provide aspiring and established artists with opportunities to connect and develop their creative practice. The artist takeover, scheduled for October, will take place at the Hub in Sleaford. Jo Tolley plans to utilise the data collected during this project to research and seek additional funds, with the aim of creating disabled artist-in-residence opportunities for local disabled artists in 2024.

The third and final successful Hub grant relates to our upcoming exhibition and associated events. Led by Uffington-based artist and farmer Kate Genever, the project will bring together a series of short Artist in Residence projects under the banner of “Together We Are Powerful”. Taking place at the Hub in Sleaford over the summer and autumn, this initiative will be facilitated by four artists from the region. The projects will include making days, a storytelling and writing residency, and several community meals with creative activities suitable for all ages and abilities.

The Hub is incredibly excited to be involved in these impactful and diverse projects that contribute to the cultural landscape of Lincolnshire. The support received through the Connecting Communities Creative Grants will not only enable us to nurture creativity within the community but also strengthen our role as a catalyst for social inclusion, artistic development, and collaboration.

Funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and Paul Hamlyn Foundation, and hosted by the University of Lincoln, the Connecting Communities project actively engages with various communities, fostering ambitious participatory programs. The initiative focuses on three key strands: Intergenerational, Disabled People and those with Access Needs, and Young Children and Families. By incorporating these strands into their work, the project aims to make creativity accessible and inclusive for everyone.

To stay updated on the progress of these projects and to learn more about the Hub in Sleaford’s involvement, be sure to follow their website and social media channels.