Carpenter's Yard at Priddy's Hard in Gosport to be transformed into arts centre after £600k government grant

Carpenters’ Yard at Priddy’s Hard is being transformed after £600,000 was awarded from the Capital Investment Programme. Work will commence to create nine affordable art studios, with funding also being put towards making a creative community which runs cultural and creative activities.

A total of £24.2m is being put towards 67 cultural organisations across the country. Darren Henley, chief executive at Arts Council England, said: “This infrastructure investment will help a whole range of different cultural organisations across England to flourish, increasing opportunities for people to enjoy creatively excellent cultural events close to where they live.

“It’s particularly important that we’re making this happen in communities where cultural investment has historically been low." An investment of £2.7m is being given to 10 organisations in the south west of England. Grants of between £100,000 and £750,000 have been rolled out in the Arts Council’s second round of contributions.

The first round saw £22.7m being handed to 66 organisations in May 2022. Phil Gibby, south west area director for Arts Council England, said he was thrilled with the investment which will unlock the region’s creative potential.

He added: “It's not just bricks and mortar - with better buildings comes improved accessibility, new technology and a reduced environmental footprint. This public funding comes at a crucial time and matters more than ever to staff, volunteers and visitors. We can't wait to see plans take shape.”

Other projects being supported include the renovation of Poole Museum and to restore the derelict carnival centre in Bridgewater and West Somerset. Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay, minister for arts, heritage and libraries said: “Cultural venues enrich our lives, and it’s vital that their infrastructure matches the excellence of the creative work that goes on inside them.

"Our funding is helping both to create new venues and to adapt existing ones to make them more accessible, helping to deliver the Government’s plan to make sure that everyone, no matter where they live or what their background, has access to excellent, life-changing cultural opportunities.”