Local cultural projects get nearly £250,000 boost from WMCA
Nine cultural and heritage projects across Dudley borough are set to benefit from a share of nearly £250,000 of grant funding, following a competitive bidding process.
Dudley Council received £247,500 from West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA)’s culture and creative infrastructure programme. The funding is designed to support and upgrade cultural and heritage infrastructure across the borough and increase cultural experiences and participation for residents and visitors.
Groups and organisations were invited to bid for grants of up to £41,665 for projects to upgrade and enhance cultural assets and spaces, such as buildings or venues, or to provide equipment to support them in delivering activities.
The volume and quality of applications received demonstrated the borough’s rich cultural and heritage infrastructure, as well as applicants’ ambition to make it more inclusive, accessible and far-reaching. The total value of bids submitted was more than double the funding available, making for a highly competitive process. This not only highlighted the strength and scale of the sector but also demonstrated the significant opportunities for cultural and heritage development across Dudley borough.
The nine successful projects, which will commence delivery from September 2026, are:
- Red House Glass Cone – reinstate hot glassblowing facility for live demonstrations, hands-on visitor experiences and educational workshops
- Sedgley Beacon – install a historically sympathetic door to the tower with ‘cut outs’ to allow glimpses of the inside of the tower
- Dudley Canal and Tunnel Trust - improve accessibility and community engagement by upgrading William into a fully accessible passenger boat
- St Andrew’s Church, Netherton – enhance historic organ for recitals, workshops and community projects
- CreART – repurpose space at the Arts for All Performing Arts School into a dance and music studio
- Stourbridge Glass Museum – bring back into use a series of currently inaccessible heritage tunnels/under croft spaces
- Himley Events Team – purchase an access viewing platform for community events
- Dudley & West Midlands Zoological Society – open the Under-Croft as a self-guided attraction and display area
- Stourbridge Townhall – technical lighting upgrades project
Councillor Damian Corfield, cabinet member for neighbourhoods, said:
“This funding is fantastic news for culture and heritage across Dudley borough. It will help nine brilliant organisations open up spaces, upgrade facilities and reach more residents and visitors than ever before.
“With 21 applications and bids totalling more than double the funds available, it’s clear how much appetite there is among our cultural and heritage organisations to invest in their venues and grow what they can offer local communities. I’d like to thank everyone who applied, and I look forward to seeing these projects take shape.”