Welcome to the last Vibrant Shropshire newsletter of 2025
It's been an amazing year and we hope that you have found this newsletter, our new website, the training events and the commission opportunities of interest.
You can read about some of the great work that has been delivered by our partners in 2025 in the pages below.
Shropshire Council is proud to announce the successful completion of the ‘This is Shropshire’ Festival, delivered by Vibrant Shropshire: A Cultural Compact. Over the past six months, thanks to funding from the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund, thirteen grassroots organisations have brought a vibrant programme of arts and cultural activities to communities across the county.
Looking Back: Highlights from the Festival
The festival has showcased Shropshire’s unique character and creative spirit, supporting projects that have:
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Delivered dementia-friendly singing workshops in care homes, bringing joy and connection to older residents.
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Presented inclusive dance performances, with disabled and non-disabled dancers inspiring audiences and fostering community participation.
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Hosted family art workshops at Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings inspired by a giant mosaic celebrating local heritage and communities.
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Enabled the Ukrainian community in Oswestry to share memories and celebrate the town’s landmark Memorial Hall.
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Supported creative writing workshops for young people in areas of high deprivation, helping them explore and celebrate their family connections with Shropshire.
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Offered community-led film events, music and poetry, curated by local groups.
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Provided a mentoring and development programme for aspiring artists, culminating in public exhibitions.
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Developed film-making skills for young people through the BFI Film Academy.
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Delivered creative workshops in partnership with Shropshire Hills National Landscape and local farmers
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Showcased local musical talent at Bridgnorth Music Festival, while providing hands-on opportunities for participants to gain behind-the-scenes experience as part of the technical crew.
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Brought Chinese cultural activities to festivals across Shropshire, including interactive workshops and online music lessons.
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Explored the theme of ‘home’ in Shropshire through multigenerational spoken word and singing projects in schools.
- Provided a variety of cultural activities and live theatre opportunities for rural communities
Impact
- Over 50 community arts organisations submitted proposals, with 13 selected for commission.
- As of the middle of December, 231 cultural events were delivered, supported by 222 volunteers and attended by 2,603 people.
- The programme has removed barriers to participation, especially for underserved communities, and strengthened the cultural sector’s role in Shropshire’s economy.
Find Out More
Details about ‘This is Shropshire’ and all the projects delivered can be found on our website. The festival has demonstrated the power of culture to bring people together, celebrate local identity and inspire future creativity.
Click the button below to find out more.
In partnership with Vibrant Shropshire and as part of the ‘This is Shropshire’ Festival, MediaActive Projects Ltd delivered the BFI Film Academy programme. This programme included a series of creative filmmaking masterclasses and work experiences for adults and young people aged 16–19 across the county.
Participants explored filmmaking, animation and sound recording, working with professional artists to create new artworks and four short films, collectively titled ‘Natural States’. These films reflect young people’s perspectives on nature and modern life and were premiered at The Hive in Shrewsbury.
The Festival’s inclusive approach welcomed participants from diverse backgrounds, offering valuable insights into creative careers and building skills for the future. The project was supported by the BFI and by Vibrant Shropshire through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Click the button below to watch the final film ‘Natural States’ which includes the four shorts created by the participants and a short 'Behind the Scenes' video from the project:
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On Thursday 27th November, St Chad’s Church in Shrewsbury hosted Pentabus's Home is Here project celebration event. The evening showcased songs and spoken word performed and developed by Shropshire school pupils and older people from care homes and local communities. The project was a part of the This is Shropshire Festival, funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
This inspiring, multi-generational project brought together participants from five primary schools and four care settings, alongside older people from across Shropshire. Guided by professional artists Henry Maddicott and Rhian Jackson, the groups explored themes of friendship, community, wellbeing and what it means to call Shropshire home.
The project’s workshops, made possible by support from Vibrant Shropshire through funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), offered a unique opportunity for different generations to connect, share experiences and create together. Pupils and older participants alike contributed their voices, memories and creativity, resulting in a moving and memorable public performance.
The evening at St Chad’s was a true celebration of Shropshire’s spirit. Audiences were treated to original songs and stories that reflected the county’s warmth, resilience and sense of belonging. The collaborative process not only fostered new friendships but also highlighted the power of the arts to bridge generations and enrich wellbeing.
The participating schools and care homes were:
Schools:
- Bryn Offa CE Primary School
- St Lawrence CE Primary School
- Rushbury CE Primary School
- Newcastle CE Primary School (Blue Hills Federation)
- St Mary’s CE Primary School (Blue Hills Federation)
Care Settings:
- Barchester – Field House Care Home
- The Sandford Nursing Home
- Onny Cottage Care Home
- Brooke House Care Home
- as well as older people from Shropshire communities
Vibrant Shropshire is delighted to have supported this creative project as part of the 'This is Shropshire' festival. To find out more about Pentabus or if you are interested in working with the organisation on one of their future performing arts projects, visit their website at the button below.
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Earlier this month, we held two Effective Bid Writing Training sessions led by Community Resource. The sessions helped members of the cultural sector to strengthen their fundraising application skills.
Held at the Festival Drayton Centre in Market Drayton and Ludlow Assembly Rooms, the sessions attracted a diverse mix of small charities, community groups and creative practitioners, all eager to boost their confidence and success in securing funding.
Participants explored the key principles of effective bid writing, learning what funders in the arts and culture sector are looking for and how to align their projects with funding priorities. The training covered:
- Structuring compelling funding applications
- Avoiding common pitfalls in the application process
- Using evidence and storytelling to make a case stand out
- Drafting need statements and project summaries with peer feedback
Interactive exercises and real-world case studies kept the sessions engaging and practical. Attendees also received tips on using SMART objectives, clear budgeting and demonstrating both community need and project sustainability.
The sessions provided a valuable opportunity for networking, peer learning and sharing experiences. Many participants commented on how the practical activities and Q&A sessions helped demystify the funding process and gave them renewed confidence to apply for grants.
Feedback highlighted the value of:
- Practical, hands-on writing activities
- Guidance on demonstrating impact and sustainability
- Signposting to local funding support services
With new skills and connections, the Shropshire arts and culture organisations are now better equipped to secure funding and bring creative projects to life. Vibrant Shropshire and Community Resource look forward to hearing how their future funding applications go!
If you need advice on applying for funding, Community Resource offer infrastructure support services. Find out more about this and how they can support you below:
Over the last 6 months, we have also delivered another series of training events, with thanks to our funding from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Over the course of these months, we have delivered 5 training events attended by 73 different partner organisations. The subjects covered included:
- Working with Volunteers with Community Resource
- Understanding Creative Health and the Arts with the National Centre for Creative Health
- How to Organise your own Festival with Shropshire Festivals
- Effective Bid Writing Training sessions with Community Resource
We would like to take this opportunity to thank the trainers we have worked with for sharing their expertise with our community. We would also like to thank everyone that has attended one of these free training events -- we hope you have found them of value and can use what you have learnt to keep delivering the incredible work you do.
 Our Vibrant Shropshire website includes a directory of all the Vibrant Shropshire partners. This directory will be used to connect partners, promote co-working and link up Shropshire's cultural sector.
To be included in this directory and share the work that you do, please fill out the form linked below.
Once you have filled out the form, please send us a copy of your logo to culturalcompact@shropshire.gov.uk
If you are not a Vibrant Shropshire partner, why not become one for free? Please sign up using the link below, you will then be able to complete the directory form:
Have you got a project coming up that you would like to promote?
Do you have news that you would like to share with your peers?
Perhaps you know about an opportunity for cultural practitioners that isn't listed here.
We want to hear from you.
Please send us details of:
- events
- exhibitions
- classes
- employment opportunities
- shows and performances
- commission opportunities
- available funding
- partnership projects
Our aim is to make this newsletter as informative and useful for Shropshire's Cultural Sector. If you know of an opportunity that's of interest to you, chances are it's of interest to another creative practitioner too.
Please send details to culturalcompact@shropshire.gov.uk
Below you will find a selection of currently open cultural funding opportunities. To see a full list of cultural funding opportunities, please visit the funding page of our website.
The Michael Tippett Musical Foundation
The Michael Tippett Musical Foundation is offering grants of between £500 and £3,000 for groups across the UK to support the development of group music-making, especially involving young people, with composing central to the project.
Projects for consideration should not start earlier than January 2027.
Grant amount: between £500 and £3,000
Deadline: 26 September 2026
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Grow Wild
The Grow Wild Community Programme is offering around 23 grants of up to £2,000 to not-for-profit groups across the UK to transform urban spaces for the benefit of people and wildlife through planting and championing UK native plants or fungi.
Projects should enhance the biodiversity of the urban space with planting and growing as a core activity, be led by groups who care about the environment and will use sustainable materials and practices and have the potential to reach at least 300 people.
In addition, projects need to work with one or more of Grow Wild’s target audience:
- Young people aged 12-25.
- People experiencing some disadvantage or reduced access to services.
- People who are less engaged with others in their local community.
- People who face barriers to connecting with nature.
- Disabled people.
Grant amount: up to £2,000
Deadline: 4 February 2026
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BlueSpark Foundation
Schools, community groups, clubs, societies and other not-for-profit organisations based and working in England can apply now for grants of up to £5,000 for projects that help to improve the education and development of children and young people (between the ages of 6 and 22 years) in England.
The funding is for the cost of specific, relatively small-scale projects that might not happen at all or would only happen on a lesser scale without the support of BlueSpark.
Projects can be educational, cultural, sporting or other activities but particular consideration will be given to those that help the self-confidence, team working skills and future employability of children and young people.
Grant amount: up to £5,000 (but most grants are for up to £2,000)
Deadline: now open for projects in early Spring 2026
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To find more available funding opportunities, take a look at the Available Funding page on our website:
Know about an arts or cultural funding opportunity that isn't listed here? Please contact us
To share your news with Vibrant Shropshire partners and members of the cultural sector please email: culturalcompact@shropshire.gov.uk
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