Stockport to Become a World-Leading Digital Arts Hub

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15 March 2022

Stockport Council has been awarded a grant of £2.63 million for a creative campus in Stockport Town Centre.

The grant, awarded by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sports and delivered by Arts Council England will help to deliver a three-year town centre reinvigoration programme – transforming Stockport’s heritage-rich historic centre into a sustainable, world-leading digital arts neighbourhood.

The funding is part of a share of almost £50 million of funding to galleries, museums, libraries and cultural venues across the country, which will improve people’s access to the arts and safeguard cultural assets for future generations.

The project will be led by Stockport Council, Manchester Metropolitan University and MadLab (a digital innovation organisation based in Manchester).

"Stockport is going places, and we are open for business. It will undoubtedly give a real boost to the local economy, which will benefit residents and future generations for years to come. As well as this, our projects will repurpose several buildings in the town centre and will create an ‘eco-system’ of creative businesses, attracting more people to Stockport and creating a thriving, creative community."

–Cllr Elise Wilson

Leader of Stockport Council 

Reviving Empty Properties in Stockport

The programme also aims to support the conversion and re-use of empty properties to help create a cluster of digital creative businesses that will drive wider growth in the economy.

The award will also support training and engagement, building skills for the future and ensuring inclusiveness and access to digital art activities.

The proposed creative campus will feature a "tightly-knit cluster" of production, community engagement, and public-facing inspirational spaces located in Stockport’s Old Town.

Cllr Elise Wilson, Leader of Stockport Council said:  “This is fantastic news, and this award shows our huge ambition for Stockport as we once again bring in funding to further complement all the great work already taking place in the town centre. Stockport is going places, and we are open for business. It will undoubtedly give a real boost to the local economy, which will benefit residents and future generations for years to come. 

“As well as this, our projects will repurpose several buildings in the town centre and will create an ‘eco-system’ of creative businesses, attracting more people to Stockport and creating a thriving, creative community. I look forward to working with Manchester Metropolitan University and MadLab to take this forward.”   

Professor Martyn Evans, Pro-Vice Chancellor for the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at Manchester Metropolitan University added: “The creative industries are already an essential part of the regional economy and the university is delighted to be part of an initiative that will boost creativity and entrepreneurial activity in Stockport. 

“This is an opportunity for our design experts to help to deliver the skills that citizens of Stockport will require if they want to develop a career in the creative sector and also opens up opportunities to work with more established businesses on innovative research and knowledge exchange activities.”   

Picture: a photograph of Stockport Underbanks. Image Credit: Stockport Council

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 15 March 2022

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