Worcestershire County Council Arts Service

Worcestershire County Council’s Arts and Events Service was established in April 1998 following Local Government Re-organisation (LGR). The Service, which is part of the Culture, Commissioning and Community Directorate, is located within Heritage Services Division alongside Museum, Record Office, Archaeology and Marketing. The unit employs two members of staff; Stephen Wilson the full time Arts Officer,  and Sue Church the Project Support Assistant who works Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The Arts Service is managed by the County Arts Officer.

What the Arts Service does

It provides the support listed below to County Council departments and the wider community:

• ‘Grants to the arts’ schemes  ‘strategic revenue’ grants for organisations that make a significant contribution to the county’s economy, ‘inroads’ arts grants for development projects, and ‘first base’ community arts grants.
• Information services  dealing with arts related inquiries, providing advice, funding surgeries, county arts mailing list, arts / lottery information boxes in libraries, publications.
• Helping people to network We currently manage: Worcestershire arts officers group, WCC corporate arts group, Worcestershire arts forum.
• Strategic planning Writing Arts policies and strategies, and business planning.
• Monitoring and Evaluation Ensuring that we: consult with our partners, clients and service users, gathering statistical information, and assessing how well our services are delivered.
• Development of arts in libraries programmes  exhibitions, performances, concerts, screenings, workshops, and artist residencies.
• Advocacy Speaking up for Arts in Worcestershire: within the County Council and beyond - locally, regionally , and nationally.
• Projects We develop and manage: arts workshops, artist residencies, and long term programmes such as the new Worcestershire Arts Marketing initiative.
• Fundraising Every year we have to raise the majority of funds needed for Arts projects from a range of sources: Worcestershire County Council (non arts depts), District Councils, National lottery, West Midlands Arts, charitable trusts and foundations, and business sponsorship.
• Training providing Arts related training for arts staff, corporate partners and external groups.

The County Arts Service is based in Cultural Services at County Hall

Stephen Wilson

County Arts Officer,
Cultural Services,
County Hall,
Spetchley Road,
Worcester WR5 2NP

Tel: 01905 765754

Fax: 01905 766930

email:swilson@worcestershire.gov.uk