Vibrant Shropshire launches ‘This is Shropshire’ cultural commissions
Vibrant Shropshire: a Cultural Compact has secured funding from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to commission a programme of arts and cultural activities that make up a county-wide festival under the banner of ‘This is Shropshire’.
Vibrant Shropshire is pleased to announce ‘This is Shropshire’, a new commission programme that aims to celebrate the breadth of arts and culture across the county, by showcasing its arts, heritage, natural landscapes, cultural scene, communities and more.
Vibrant Shropshire will commission thirteen organisations to run a series of cultural programmes for the people of Shropshire. These activities will make up a county-wide celebration of culture called ‘This is Shropshire’.
There are two levels of commission available:
- Twelve separate commissions, each worth a maximum of £5,000 for cultural activities that address various priorities. Click here for details.
- One commission worth £15,000 for a countywide cultural programme that breaks down barriers to participation in culture and uses collaboration with other cultural providers to engage people with cultural activities in Shropshire. Click here for details.
The 12 commissions have a maximum value of £5,000 each and you are invited to propose an exciting and innovative programme of cultural activities that addresses one of the following listed priorities:
- The Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) community
- Rural communities in Shropshire
- Older people (50 plus) at risk
- Financially disadvantaged members of the community
- Members of the resettlement community including refugees, asylum seekers and guests from Ukraine community in Shropshire
- Veterans and the wider Armed Forces community
- Schools located in areas of high social deprivation in Shropshire
- Health and wellbeing of people in Shropshire
- Arts and cultural work experience and skills development opportunities for people in Shropshire
- Celebrate and care for Shropshire’s natural environment and encourage the cultural sector to operate in a more environmentally sustainable way
- Music and/or dance activities
- Multi-cultural activities
For the £15,000 commission, Vibrant Shropshire is looking to commission an organisation to run a multi-location cultural programme that focuses on overcoming barriers to participation in culture and one other priority. The project should take place across multiple locations in Shropshire and use collaboration with other cultural provides to deliver the activities.
You are welcome to submit proposals for more than one commission. However, it is not possible to receive more than one commission. Briefs cannot be combined into one larger project.
The deadline for submissions is 12 noon on Monday 9 June 2025
All projects must be completed and evaluated by 31 December 2025.
Meet the Funder
Join Vibrant Shropshire online on Wednesday 28 May at 11am for a Meet the Funder event. It is not essential to attend this event but if you would like reclarification on the commission briefs, want to find out if your project is eligible or want to ask a question directly, please do attend. Please email culturalcompact@shropshire.gov.uk if you would like to join. Please note, this meeting will be recorded and available online afterwards.
This commissioning programme is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and administered by Shropshire Council.
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The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) proactively supports delivery of the UK Government’s five national missions pushing power out to communities everywhere, with a specific focus to help kickstart economic growth and promoting opportunities in all parts of the UK. For more information, visit:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-shared-prosperity-fund-prospectus.
