Grimsby and Cleethorpes MP Melanie Onn posted this week about the government’s launch of the ‘UK Town of Culture’ competition. The intention is that towns like Grimsby and Cleethorpes will be given the chance to showcase their creativity, heritage and community spirit on a national stage. The winning town will receive £3.5 million to deliver a major year of culture, with £125,000 also available for shortlisted towns that don’t win the overall title.
Melanie asked the question on social channels: “could Grimsby…become the first ‘Town of Culture?”.
My reaction to this was, of course: “Of course!”
I then glanced over the comments, perhaps naively expecting to see a wave of enthusiasm before I’d got there myself.
However, I have to admit there was a rather ‘eye-rolling’ amount of negativity, with comments like:
“Grimsby Culture = Fish”, “High Unlikely” and the usual keyboard warrior accusations of potential future money laundering!
My own thoughts – as the leader of a cultural organisation that has weathered 15 years of making culture happen in Grimsby – are that we are absolutely ripe for this timely opportunity – and capable of making it happen.
Firstly, there’s already been a much-needed cultural ‘shift’ of late, owing to a combination of local vision, action and effort, together with more cultural investment from funders like Arts Council England and National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The foundations have been laid and challenging as it is, I’m proud of all my cultural colleagues in NEL and all of the artists and creatives here. Making culture happen and making it work as an artist here certainly isn’t easy (especially when we don’t have the full resources we need to serve everyone in the ways we’d like, but we’re doing it anyway).
In fact, this might sound way OTT but I firmly believe that Grimsby / Cleethorpes could be the most creative town in the UK – there’s so much talent here for a small place, it’s almost hard to believe. (There must be something in the water!)
We have painters, writers, musicians/music producers, singers, makers, actors, dancers, circus artists and performers – all of whom are visionaries on their own way –galore (I’ve always said that Grimsby has an underestimated intelligence to it), many of whom are “doers”, some who have ‘come out of the dark’ more recently, but many of have also been beavering away ‘being creative’ for years, feeling no real need to shout about themselves. We also have great creative courses here at both Franklin College and Grimsby Institute, as well as brilliant youth theatre and dance schools that, between them, send local kids off to top drama schools each year. Added to this is an evolving calendar of events that organisers are working hard to fundraise for and stabilise, to try and achieve an attractive and consistent offer.
Belief and confidence have grown, as well as opportunities for creative participation through more workshops and community project initiatives.
Create North East Lincolnshire, an arm of the council and a channel through which Arts Council England has been putting more money into the development of the local creative sector, has supported artists and organisations with a range of grants to kickstart ideas, while organisations such as Turntable Gallery, Our Big Picture, Lowercase, What if We Create, Acting Lincs, Cineshow, Unseen Arts, ourselves at The Culture House – and many more are doing their damndest to increase cultural opportunity for residents (that is mostly free or low cost to access), and to provide work and ‘hope’ for the creative sector, taking steps to demonstrate little by little that a career in the arts, in Grimsby, is possible.
It is all an effort, but I know full well, we’re all committed to responding to a need with the best intentions for our place and the people here, with an understanding of difference culture can make – including activating our otherwise empty spaces, supporting local businesses, providing reasons to connect and get together and providing a platform for expression while developing confident skills.
What’s perhaps underestimated is that, between us all, we have great connections nationally (even internationally) and the area has already started to see the benefit of these – whether through credible national artists hosting exhibitions here, groups benefitting from visiting industry mentors or through national organisations supporting local ones to break through local boundaries.
As for the public, who should always be ones benefitting from public money, we see nothing but appreciation from residents for a wide range of cultural activities (redressing the idea that Grimsby folk aren’t in to culture), which can bring us important things such as enlivened streets, quality family time, relaxation, community connection, well-being – and even sometimes a much-needed window on the world.
More cash is vital to be able to do more, be more and say more – as well as to help make culture more accessible to all.
Great efforts are underway and it’s time Grimsby benefited from the kind of investment (after many years of lack and after ‘trying our hardest’ with what we have, to enable us to truly thrive, celebrate our place, shout about ourselves and attract more visitors.
We’re definitely on our way to fully realising our ambitions, we’re still on a path to equality but we sure as hell are ready to take it to the next level.
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Written by Charlotte
Charlotte was on BBC Radio Humberside’s breakfast show with Kofi Smiles to speak on this, and you can list from about the 1.07 minute mark here.
She will also be on BBC Look North Tuesday 18th November from 6.30pm, which will be available on BBC iPlayer after it is live.
