New arts and heritage grant scheme launches in Herefordshire

A new grant scheme has been launched to fund arts and heritage projects in Herefordshire.

Hidden Gems is part of the Herefordshire's a Great Place project, co-funded by Heritage Lottery Fund and Arts Council England and supported by Historic England.

The grant scheme will fund a total of nine cultural projects that get communities, artists, heritage experts and digital specialists working together to raise the profile of the county’s ‘hidden’ heritage.

Four grants of between £6,000 to £12,000 each will be awarded in 2018.

Hidden Gems will run again in 2019, when five more grants will be available.

Lauren Rogers, from Herefordshire’s a Great Place, said: “Herefordshire has so many fantastic heritage and local history stories that should be better known - they are an integral part of the county’s unique appeal.

“Hidden Gems will not only bring artists and communities together around heritage, it recognises how important the creative use of digital technology is when we’re trying to attract new audiences to heritage sites or tell more people about Herefordshire’s rich history.”

All over the UK digital technology is allowing cultural organisations to push the boundaries. Just look at the Natural History Museum’s new virtual-reality experience where a hologram of Sir David Attenborough takes you on a virtual tour; the Royal Shakespeare Company’s ground-breaking production of The Tempest that put digital avatars on stage; or the collaboration between English Heritage and Google that meant we could explore 360 degree images of cultural treasures online.

“We believe Hidden Gems could create similar experiences albeit on a smaller scale here in Herefordshire, and then go a step further by involving communities too so that more people are taking part in exciting arts and heritage projects,” said Lauren.

Hidden Gems is the flagship grant scheme of Herefordshire’s a Great Place, an ambitious cultural development project delivered by Rural Media on behalf of the Herefordshire Cultural Partnership.

The deadline to apply for 2018 Hidden Gems funding is August 12.

For all the information, including grant guidelines and the application form, please visit www.hiddengemsherefordshire.co.uk