The Worcester Arches Project will reinvigorate Worcester and place it on the world stage by regenerating iconic railway viaducts into a modern, 21st century workplace for creative industries, and a cultural destination for tourists and local communities.
With a direct pedestrian link from Foregate St. Station to the Arches and down to the river beyond, the space will attract audiences to the city through arts activity, festivals and events.
The Arches project will support the city’s existing festival infrastructure and wider creative industries with training, apprenticeships and skills development opportunities.
This ambitious £4.5m project has been awarded £3m in funding from the Cultural Development Fund, a new DCMS & Arts Council England joint fund that focuses on developing the economic impact of creative industries, arts and heritage.
The funding bid was successfully prepared by Worcester Cultural Partnership, which will match it with a further £1.5m.
Advantage Creative is pleased to be working with partners on this project, bringing our experience and expertise in creative industries investment and development to facilitate the Skills Workstream which aims to:
- Retain graduates and nurture talent in cultural and creative industry-related areas through entrepreneurial mentoring and creating the conditions and environment for progression to angel investment for start-ups.
- Establish support for young people who seek employment in the creative industries through non-University routes.
- Embed voluntary sector training and development within the Festivals and Events community.
We have assembled a team of creative industries experts to deliver an ambitious development programme with our workstream partners: University of Worcester; Worcester City Council; Worcestershire LEP; Creative & Cultural Skills; and Severn Arts.
Our Entrepreneur in Residence will play a key role in building a creative industries community around the new Worcester Arches Creative Workspace development through the design and management of networking events, training, support and mentoring activity.
Our Creative Industries Coordinator will support the Entrepreneur in Residence, providing practical and logistical support on organising activities and events, managing contact databases, event booking systems, social media and other communication platforms.
