Sunderland’s creative sector is celebrating the lasting impact of three years of UK Shared Prosperity Fund investment, with hundreds of cultural activities helping communities connect, create and take pride in where they live.
The Connecting and Catalysing Our Culture, Creativity & Engagement Programme (CCCCEP) has brought together five cultural partners – Sunderland Culture, The Cultural Spring, Minerva Arts & Wellbeing, Sunderland Heritage Partnership and Culture House Sunderland – to deliver ambitious, community-led projects across Sunderland.
Funded through Sunderland City Council’s UKSPF programme, the partnership has supported creative activity, strengthened cultural organisations and created new opportunities for residents to participate in arts, heritage and culture.
The wider Sunderland UKSPF programme has delivered more than 430 community-led arts, cultural, heritage and creative programmes, reaching more than 1.5 million people through Communities and Place activities.
Projects have ranged from ceramics, textiles and glass workshops to heritage festivals, digital creativity, animation, family activities and large-scale cultural events.
For The Cultural Spring, A Space to Create has brought together artwork made by communities across Sunderland, demonstrating what can happen when people are given the opportunity, support and confidence to explore their creativity. One project was at Sunderland Headlight, where participants worked with artist Scott Tyrell to create Any One of Us, an animation exploring the experience of accessing mental health support. The film was subsequently nominated for a Smiley Award and won a Bronze People’s Choice Award.
The Sunderland Heritage Partnership has also grown significantly, bringing together organisations, venues and individuals to promote the city’s heritage. Its work has included major heritage festivals featuring almost 100 events, alongside the development of a dedicated website promoting Sunderland’s heritage offer.
Culture House Sunderland has provided another major platform for creative participation, with its programme of exhibitions, events and activities designed to connect people of all ages through creativity. The venue is now open at the heart of the city and forms part of Sunderland’s wider Creative Smart City programme.
Meanwhile, Minerva Arts & Wellbeing has used the programme to expand access to specialist creative learning, with participants reporting increased confidence, improved wellbeing and a greater sense of belonging.
Sunderland Culture has strengthened its digital infrastructure and developed new resources and opportunities for young people, including creative learning packs and projects connecting Sunderland’s collections, communities and audiences.
Leanne Littlewood, Director of Culture House Sunderland and Head of Cultural Services at Sunderland City Council, said: “What began as a programme of collaborative activity has developed into a strong and supportive network. The real legacy is not only the activity that has been delivered, but the relationships, knowledge and confidence that have been built across Sunderland’s cultural sector and communities.”
Independent evaluator Dr Phillipa Carter found that the programme had delivered activity across the whole of Sunderland, with participants reporting improved wellbeing, increased confidence and pride in what they had created.
Nick Malyan, Chief Executive at Sunderland Culture, said: “As the UKSPF programme draws to a close, partners are now looking to build on that legacy through continued collaboration, fundraising, skills development and community-led cultural activity.
“The funding may have reached its conclusion, but the partnerships, skills and creative confidence it has helped build are set to continue shaping Sunderland’s cultural future.
“We’re very grateful for the generous UKSPF support which has helped this powerful partnership support Wearside communities through a range of quality events, workshops and activities.”