Doncaster Right Up Our Street project shows how arts can help to revitalise town centres

Research by Arts Council England points to Doncaster’s success with Right Up Our Street, a yearly festival that takes performance out into the community and involves local people.

It highlights how the local community has been inspired to get involved in arts and culture and how this has supported the skills development of 50 amateur performers and 150 artists and performers, as well as the creation of 10 new amateur art groups, nine paid interns and 110 volunteers.

The Arts Council says projects such as this could be vital to getting the local economy going again as we emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic.

A report, Arts and Place Shaping: Evidence Review, focuses on how the arts and culture can support community cohesion, create events that increase visitors numbers, find a new role for vacant buildings, helping to fill the gap left by retailers as they move away from high streets, and create good jobs.

City festival hit by ‘rule of six’

More than 300 cultural venues and buildings are located in unemployment hotspots, helping to create jobs.

Nearly a quarter of cultural organisations also offer a café, bar or bookshop – or a combination of all three.

Pete Massey, Arts Council northern economy and partnerships director, said: “Arts and cultural activity will be key in ultimately helping the night-time economy recover from the current pandemic and in the longer term can be a significant contributor to the levelling-up agenda, helping northern town and cities to thrive once again.”

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