Good news for Literature Works in 2023-26
We’re fresh from the welcome news that two cornerstones of our work are now secure until 2026. We breathe a sigh of relief and roll up our sleeves to continue building on those foundations. We are delighted that our bid was successful to Arts Council England’s National Portfolio for 2023-26 and we have been offered funding. It will be our pleasure to continue developing our programme of accessible, diverse and joyful creative activity at locations around the South West. We are thrilled to have confirmation from Exeter Canal and Quay Trust that, following an open tendering process, our Quay Words live literature programme will continue as a Cultural Partner at Exeter Custom House from 2023 to 2026.
We are grateful to Arts Council England for their continued recognition of our national role supporting literature development and to Exeter Canal and Quay Trust for their continued support of Quay Words.
We are looking forward to developing our programme of accessible, diverse and joyful creative activity at locations around the South West, and supporting Arts Council England’s Let’s Create strategy. Look out in 2023 for an open call for the next Plymouth Laureate of Words and an announcement of the next Plymouth Young City Laureate. In South Somerset, we will deliver Poetry Cares, our poetry and memory project training local poets to run dynamic and interactive sessions at Memory Cafés. In Torbay and Gloucester, we will continue using our expertise to co-create writing programmes with community groups and recovery groups. We have waited to announce this welcome news, conscious that funds are limited and of the great organisations whose bids did not succeed, some of whom we work with closely. Literature Works will continue in collaborative mode, supporting and helping to nurture the wider cultural scene, always in service to people and communities.
We are also thrilled that we can now programme Quay Words at Exeter Custom House so much further ahead. Exeter Custom House and Transit Shed are home to a vibrant collection of arts and cultural events throughout the year, with many of them free for everyone to enjoy. To devise and host these programmes, Exeter Canal and Quay Trust commission Cultural Partnerships, with two partners confirmed 2023-26. We’re looking forward very much to working with the other partner, Art Work Exeter who have been selected to deliver arts focussed events. We will work individually and collaboratively to help the Custom House thrive as a vibrant and creative space where people can expect cultural activity that is accessible to all.
Alan Williamson, Chair of Exeter Canal and Quay Trust, said,
“The Exeter Canal and Quay Trust launched a Cultural Partners Programme following a pilot in 2019. This project has been a considerable success and a real learning curve both for ECQT and the organisations involved. Both have developed some incredible projects and events at the Custom House and the wider quayside area and we are really excited to have Literature Works and Art Work Exeter as our new partners. We can’t wait to see what creativity they bring to this very special area of the city.”
