A senior city councilor says South Holland can get economic benefits from money spent on arts and culture when it is used to strengthen city centers.
Coun Gary Taylor believes it is important that art money has a practical use – and that it reaches villages outside the district’s cities.
Coun Taylor, portfolio owner of the South Holland District Council for Communities and Services, said he was broadly supportive of Transport Art’s recent offer for art funds.
Unveiled art on trucks by Transported artist Alisha Miller
He agrees that art events, live music and public art can bring people to city centers – and supports them with activities that create an atmosphere on important shopping days or support events at the South Holland Center, for example.
He said, “It’s about getting the maximum benefit.
“You can support our priorities as a council and community – we have to try to make the city centers attractive. We’re trying to get this message across. “
“We need to make the most of this money instead of doing standalone projects for a niche audience. The money is there, so we use it sensibly so that more and more people benefit. “
Since 2012, Transport Art has been awarded £ 3,792,183 by the Arts Council for South Holland and Boston to promote an area where art accessibility is considered poor.
In South Holland, it is known for its “Art on Trucks” project with FreshLinc – which promoted the area’s landscapes and saw people post pictures of the decorated vehicles when they spotted them across the country.
Transported also worked with the Spalding and District Civic Society on the Joseph Hillier Sculpture Trail and brought out Field and Dyke, a folk song collection inspired by the people, landscapes and workplaces of South Holland.
The group also went to major employers and ran art projects that helped raise morale among workers.
Program Director Nick Jones says he wants to combat the notion that art is elitist or irrelevant – and believes this is critical to building community pride and spirit. He said, “This phrase art for art’s sake doesn’t do anyone a favor. Our art is not for the sake of art, but for the community.
“People see art as something that is not necessary or essential. Of course I’m biased, but I think it makes an important contribution to a place. People want a healthy culture – that’s what makes people move to one place.
“When you feel connected and contribute to the community, your health and wellbeing will be higher.”
Confident the Arts Council will support Transported’s £ 800,000 funding offer, he says people can look forward to investing in our area – £ 450,000 is already on the way for Boston.
Mr. Jones added, “This level of investment is imminent. The government has the agenda for leveling and restoring. There will be pots of money and we have to be ready with the right projects in the right places to spend this money here. “
Future ideas include creating a corn art in the landscape – a kind of “agricultural angel of the north” – as well as a food and drink festival showcasing some of the products and innovative food companies for which the area is famous today.
The director of the theater group in the second act, Karl Gernert, said Transported had had a positive impact on the region.
He said, “If anything, it would be nice to see more of these things. Getting more outdoor art can only be good for us. I am for everything that art brings people.
“The people of this area deserve as much art as Islington or anywhere else.”
Peter Knott, Midlands Area Director of Arts Council England, said: “Creativity and culture make the places we live alive, exciting and inspiring, which is good for our wellbeing and supports the local economy.
“With our investment, Transported is helping bring people together across Lincolnshire, providing spaces and opportunities for people who experience the joy of creativity. From the Willoughby Road allotment gallery (in Boston), which encourages diverse communities to talk and work, to the game Spalding Street Seekers, which encourages people to explore their city from a new perspective, Transported’s work generates one real shared sense of pride for the region. “