Coventry’s community is helping to write the next chapter in the 700-year history of a renowned city centre attraction after a £6 million renovation.
Grade-1 listed visitor attraction St Mary’s Guildhall has revealed the first recipients of its Community Grants initiative, with projects including a Guildhall Takeover by the Coventry Youth Ambassadors, The Big Weave – a Community Tapestry with Coventry Peace House and The Weavers Workshop, Digital Douglass, an audio project by the House of Emanuel, Creative Cafes with Underground Lights and a Multicultural Ball hosted at St Mary’s Guildhall set to be launched in the city from November.
The venue, which is operated by No Ordinary Hospitality, has teamed up with five community groups who will receive up to £5,984 each in the first round of grant awards with more to follow.
The scheme, which is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and delivered in partnership with Coventry City Council, aims to get more people involved in heritage, arts, culture and community activities through performances, exhibitions and workshops hosted at or inspired by the 14th century guildhall.
Organisers hope to enrich personal connections to the city and its heritage by increasing opportunities to experience St Mary’s Guildhall, and take part in activities that bring people of all backgrounds together.
Applications for the second round of Tier 1 grants, which allow organisations to apply for between £2,000 and £8,000, will run from February 19 to March 29 2024. Applications for Tier 2 grants of between £250 and £1,999 can be submitted until March 2024, with award decisions made each quarter.
Niamh Carton, Community Engagement Manager at St Mary’s Guildhall, said: “We’re so excited to be announcing the first recipients of our Community Grants funding, which will see some brilliant projects brought to life in partnership with some incredible local organisations.
“Launching these projects represents a major milestone for the Guildhall following the £6 million restoration completed last year. We received lots of very exciting applications and are looking forward to helping to activate more projects over the next six months.”
Councillor David Welsh, Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, added “There was a lot of interest from some fantastic community groups who applied for the Community Grants Funding, and we are delighted that St Mary’s Guildhall will be awarding grants to five of those groups.
“The ideas they submitted are unique and really do relate to St Mary’s Guildhall itself. I am excited to see what they deliver. This project is a brilliant way for local groups to engage in arts, culture and heritage whilst learning about the guildhall and its history.
“A second round of funding will be available in the new year, and I strongly encourage community groups from all areas of Coventry to apply.”
The launch of the grant scheme marks 12 months since the Guildhall reopened following a major £6 million programme of renovation which supported much needed enhancements to the historic site - including improved accessibility, the conservation and redisplay of the Coventry Tapestry, and the development of state-of-the-art heritage interpretation facilities including augmented reality tours.
This investment has also enabled the Guildhall to deliver outreach and engagement activities to families, schools and the wider community.
Further information, including eligibility criteria and application guidance, can be found at www.stmarysguildhall.co.uk/community-grants