February 16, 2023 2.00 pm This story is over 16 months old

Sutton on Sea Colonnade to become ‘cultural hub’ after £2m arts funding

Each council has been asked to deliver a central hub for art
The Sutton-on-Sea Colonnade redevelopment will be split in two.

East Lindsey District Council’s new Colonnade build in Sutton on Sea will be a “cultural hub” after three Lincolnshire Councils received a total of £2 million arts funding.

The South East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership, which also includes Boston Borough Council and South Holland District Council, will get £650,000 over the next three years from Arts Council England.

As part of the funding, each council has been asked to deliver a central hub for art, with ELDC choosing the Colonnade, while South Holland will use Ayscoughfee Hall and Boston will use the town’s Guildhall.

On Wednesday, ELDC’s executive committee agreed to the plans, with Deputy Leader Councillor Graham Marsh telling senior members: “We are being recognised as someone who can be trusted to deliver a project.

“This is a huge piece of work and there are some fantastic outputs from that, not just in relation to heritage and bringing art and culture into the mainstream but also making it accessible for everybody through a range of interactive sessions, workshops and digital training.”

The three councils also have a series of proposals and planned outcomes for the year ahead, including commissioning artist workshops, delivering upskill classes and creating a cultural board and creating new partnerships with national and international museums and archives.

Council leader Craig Leyland said the plans were “exciting”.

“This is a gate for beaty with culture and leisure for this council,” he said.

Magna Vitae, the council’s culture delivery partner, will be commissioned to manage delivery of the programme and ELDC itself will be the accountable body for the funding across all three councils.

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