North East children’s arts charity lands ‘transformative’ grant

A charity in North East England has received a “transformative” grant to provide music, arts and education opportunities for hundreds of children in the region.

Hand Of says the two-year grant from Youth Music will “help children fall in love with learning again” by funding opportunities to work with professional musicians, artists and film directors.

The funding will support the charity’s Illuminate programme, including plans for children to put on their own concerts, create art exhibitions, and “attend their very own film premiere at Tyneside Cinema”.

The organisation’s artistic director Louise Snape said the grant “marks a vital turning point for us as a charity, as the communities we work with have become more dependent on the support we offer to children and young people since the pandemic and we want to be able to meet the demand”.

The organisation was founded in 2011, putting on live events and concerts in “neglected heritage spaces” such as a cutlery factory and a derelict 1920s cinema, as well as delivering music workshops in local schools.