IT HAS been announced that Kirklees has been selected as one of 15 priority areas in the North that Arts Council England wants to develop.

This comes as part of the Arts Council’s publication of its three-year delivery plan for 2021-2024.

The council want to implement the vision of their strategy, Lets Create.

By 2030 England will be a country in which the creativity of each individual is valued and given the chance to flourish, and where everyone has access to a remarkable range of high-quality cultural experiences.

Councillor Will Simpson, Cabinet Member for Culture and Greener Kirklees said: “We are very pleased that Arts Council England (ACE) has selected Kirklees as one of its priority places.

“We look forward to working with ACE to achieve our considerable cultural ambitions, like the Year of Music 2023 and the development of the Cultural Heart in Huddersfield Town Centre.

“Together we can create opportunities for our communities to be more creative, attract investment in to Kirklees, and engage with a wide range of cultural activities as we rebuild from Covid.

“By placing culture at the heart of our community and economic regeneration plans – and with the support of ACE to attract the investment required to deliver – we can ensure that our communities can not only recover from the events of the last couple of years, but thrive as we move forward, together.”

The publication of the Delivery Plan follows the Government’s unprecedented £1.96 billion Culture Recovery Fund, administered by the Arts Council and other bodies.

This Fund is the biggest one-off investment in culture from the Government in history.

providing a vital lifeline to save the cultural sector and help organisations prepare for reopening.

Kirklees Council’s 10-year Blueprint masterplans for Huddersfield and Dewsbury offer ambitious long-term visions for place, with culture set to regenerate the high street and town centre.

This investment will give more people the opportunity to enjoy high-quality cultural experiences in their communities and neighbourhoods.

Kirklees is building towards its Year of Music 2023, celebrating its world class music offer, with partners such as Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, Grand Northern Ukulele Festival and Music Education Hub, Musica Kirklees.

Since the beginning of the pandemic Kirklees has received £2,124,271 investment from the Arts Council through the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund.

The Arts Council has, in the last decade focused on investing in places outside of London.

Darren Henley, Chief Executive, Arts Council England, said: “Artists, arts organisations, museums and libraries have found creative new ways to serve their audiences and communities since the start of the pandemic.

 “Our new Delivery Plan shows how we’ll work with them to build on that spirit of imagination and innovation as our society reopens.

“It’s particularly exciting to be focusing on our 54 priority places over the coming years, as part of the Arts Council’s commitment to play its part in delivering on the government’s programme of levelling up.

“We’re looking forward to nurturing dynamic new partnerships with local people and organisations in each of these locations.”