The Hive secures funding from Arts Council England

The Hive, a registered charity and a town centre arts & creative venue in Shrewsbury has been successful in securing £48,555 from Arts Council England through their ‘Grants for the Arts’ funding scheme.

The fund will help the Hive to develop its artistic programming and engage with new audiences.

The CEO of the Hive Salla Virman says: “This is fantastic news as we will now be able to treat our existing and new audiences to some really exciting creative productions and events in the next 12 months.”

The programming with include interactive theatre for families and young people, including special needs audiences, as well as a large-scale exhibition and a series of folk music gigs titled ‘Uptown Folk’ for wider audiences.

Salla Virman continues: “In the past 12 months we have developed relationships with some brilliant arts organisations such as the New Vic Theatre, Birmingham REP, Stan’s Café, Tin Shed Theatre Co., Zest Theatre and Oily Cart Theatre Company, as well as individual artists. We are really looking forward to bringing their work to the Hive and the local area for audiences to enjoy.”

The events will kick off in October with the ‘Uptown Folk’ gig series, with the exhibition, drama and workshop programmes starting in early 2017. The majority of the events will take place at the Hive in Shrewsbury but there will also be interactive theatre and community projects taking place elsewhere. To find out more, audiences are encouraged to sign up with the Hive newsletters which can be accessed through the website www.hiveonline.org.uk

Steve Ball, the Associate Director of the Birmingham REP says: "We are looking forward to working with the Hive, helping them to reach new audiences and giving local people opportunities to engage with innovative and exciting creative projects.”