Artsnet e-newsletter: Issue 21 - Jan 2008

This newsletter is available as an email, in large print, audio or Braille. Call 0161 234 2985 or email artsnet@can. uk. com Issue 21 - January 2008 Creative Arts Network Part of the Community Network for Manchester inside this issue: Artsnet update 1 News & events 2 About Artsnet members 6 Training 11 Jobs & opportunities 12 Page 1 Community Arts North West wins £500K Reaching Communities Grant from Big Lottery Fund Last November, Community Arts North West (CAN), announced the news of a £500,000 grant from the Big Lottery Fund to support its ground-breaking work with refugees and asylum seekers over the next three years in the Greater Manchester area. This award, the biggest in CAN’s 30 year history, will continue the organisation’s nationally acclaimed creative programme Exodus which has run since 2004. The existing programme includes a one-day festival, short film programmes and live music events showing the creative talent of refugee artists and community groups in Greater Manchester. The Big Lottery Fund grant will be used to develop new grass roots participatory arts projects amongst refugee communities which will develop into high-profile, public showcases. It will generate a number of jobs - a full time Exodus Coordinator, two part-time Exodus Artistic Managers, a part-time Information Worker and a parttime Administrative Assistant, as well as many opportunities for freelance artists and project managers. Cilla Baynes MBE, Director of CAN, said of the award: ‘Greater Manchester has a long history of giving sanctuary to refugees and asylum seekers, and our Exodus programme is part of that proud tradition. Exodus gives a voice to the many refugee and asylumseekers who live in Greater Manchester, and a major aim of our project is to help integrate newcomers to the UK into their host communities through creative projects that welcome everyone. The Big Lottery Fund is highly competitive and this award is very significant for Greater Manchester as it recognises the ground-breaking work happening here. The award couldn’t come at a better time to continue our work. ’