THIS Project – Supporting the Arts in Wrexham
We’re working hard to change the public perception of Wrexham County Borough to both residents and visitors making everyone aware of the wealth of arts, entertainment and culture that’s available, and we need your help.
Advertise with THIS Project to boost your business and support the creative community of Wrexham
THIS Project, working in collaboration with a range of other not-for-profit organisations and key partners in business, local & national government, and the education sector, aims to:
- Rebrand Wrexham as a cultural destination
- Work with arts organisations and individual artists from across the county to promote their activities in a positive light
- Encourage everyone to get involved in what’s happening in the arts in Wrexham
- Form mutually beneficial links between business and the arts
We’ll be doing this by:
- Publishing weekly guides to what’s going on in Wrexham – available physically in print, and online
- Putting art into the town, as part of a campaign to revitalise our centre
- Work with other partners and events to highlight the rich vein of creativity that happens in the town, including: Arts Council of Wales, Focus Wales, Wrexham County Borough Council, Glyndwr, Yale
What’s in it for you?
- Get a high profile advert in a widely distributed publication and online (minimum 2000 prints)
- Opportunity to engage with a hard to reach group (16 to 30 year olds)
- Increased footfall in the town due to arts events and activities
- Helping to form a positive image of Wrexham in the minds of residents and visitors
Where does your money go?
- Print and production costs (circa 70%)
- Online maintenance of up to date content and listings (circa 10%)
- Directly supporting Artists and Arts Activities throughout Wrexham County (circa 20%)
How much does it cost?
Monthly £20 per week (4 Adverts per month)
Quarterly £15 per week (16 Adverts per quarter)
Examples of cultural rebranding in other towns.
– Gateshead
Internationally known as a cultural destination as a result of Gateshead Council’s ambitious ‘Spreading our Wings’ Project: a visionary strategy focussed on a “culturally-led” regeneration of the North West. The project, embodied by Anthony Gormley’s world-famous Angel of the North, ‘Spreading our Wings’ has heralded a cultural renaissance(particularly public art/sculptures) in the previously bleak post-industrial area.
http://www.regionalstudies.org/events/2008/may-prague/papers/Middleton.pdf
http://www.gateshead.gov.uk/DocumentLibrary/council/strategy/culture/spreadingwings.pdf
– Folkstone
Folkstone’s ‘Creative Foundation’ is an arts regeneration charity that has revitalised the historic heart of the town, turning an area of previously uninhabitable buildings into a thriving cultural centre. These buildings are now spaces rented out to creative retail industries, residences and venues, currently housing over 100 artists and industry workers.”
http://www.creativefoundation.org.uk/
– Liverpool
“When Liverpool was European capital of culture in 2008, £800m was generated for the local economy and 27% more visitors were attracted than in previous years.”
http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2010/mar/25/uk-arts-cash-recession
– Bolton
“The results of the study suggested a cost:benefit ratio of 1:1.6 – in other words, for every £10 Bolton spent, £16 of value was generated. […] One particularly interesting finding was that the poorest parts of the community valued the service the most.”
http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/media/uploads/pdf/Final_economic_benefits_of_arts.pdf
http://www.culture.gov.uk/images/publications/measuring-the-value-culture-report.pdf
Financial Benefits of the Arts (Nationally and Locally)
- Employment – UK has biggest cultural sector of the EU.
- Profitable – only 0.07% of UK budget spent on the cultural sector, but makes up 7% of GDP.
- Money spent in production of arts locally(e.g. supplies and services).
- Tourists/visitors from outside coming to see performances.
- Those who experience the arts in a community are more civically engaged, more creative, health, healthier, much more likely to volunteer in the local community.
Featured image – photography by Sue McGrane
