My Creative Local Launches with Generous Funding from The National Lottery Reaching Communities

Mind the Gap is delighted to announce the launch of a new project called My Creative Local, thanks to funding from The National Lottery Reaching Communities totalling £318,485 over three years.

This dynamic initiative will engage closely with local residents and organisations to cultivate and bolster fresh creative opportunities within the Manningham area. Over the course of three years, an engaging calendar of arts events, including workshops, gigs, and performances, will unfold at the Company’s picturesque studios nestled within the iconic Lister Mills, affectionately referred to as Manningham Mills.

Mind the Gap is one of the UK’s leading performing arts companies dedicated to placing learning disabled and autistic people at the heart of everything it does. The Company is renowned for its commitment to cultivating a more inclusive and diverse arts and cultural sector through the provision of performance, training, and workshop opportunities.

With the goal of delivering 288 new workshop sessions, engaging 1,500 participants, and captivating 18,000 audience members, My Creative Local will infuse new vitality into the Manningham area. This ambitious initiative will also inject fresh investment into freelance creatives and community partners, enriching the lives of Manningham residents and visitors alike.

Maria Thelwell, Head of Engagement at Mind the Gap, expressed her enthusiasm, stating, “This is an amazing opportunity for Mind the Gap to continue its ambition to make meaningful, creative projects accessible to people in the Manningham area. In the run up to and beyond UK City of Culture 2025, we are delighted to be able to continue our creative community development, working with brilliant local partners and a network of Bradford based artists who will bring different and unique creative skills. We know things are really tough right now for disabled people and their families, My Creative Local is designed to bring inclusive creativity and support to grassroot community settings, disabled artists, children and families.”

The National Lottery Community Fund, which distributes money raised by National Lottery players for good causes, is the largest funder of community activity in the UK. This project is also supported through funding from Arts Council England and Bradford Metropolitan District Council.

You can read our press release here.