"I do not want Art for a few, anymore than I want freedom for a few or education for a few" (William Morris)
An Arts Centre is both the space and the people within it. Its concern is with creativity, artistic expression, teaching and learning and personal development. It serves as a focus for the community in celebrating its diversity, its past achievements, its present strengths and its future potential.
Arc manages and delivers a programme of professional and community arts projects aimed at:
- Making an important contribution to the social and economic regeneration of the region in raising aspirations and achievements and helping to develop an entrepreneurial approach.
- Seeking to involve those parts of the community which are at present socially and economically excluded.
- Creating a learning environment that will give young people the opportunity for both accredited and informal arts training.
To this end in the first 18 months Arc has:
- Had 143,000 users.
- Staged 218 professional performances.
- Hosted 83 community performances.
- Run 115 courses offering 17,352 places in such diverse topics at Latin American, Salsa, Ballroom and Street Dance; Drama, watercolour painting and Tai Chi; TV production and Digital Media to name but a few.
- Screened 173 films.
- Exhibited the work of 17 visual artists and 23 community groups.
- Been supported to deliver 9 major outreach projects by partners as different at the LSC, Northern Film and Media, the Neighbourhood Renewal Community Chest, Connexions Tees Valley and Castle Eden Planetarium. These projects have impacted in communities across the Tees Valley and have seen traditionally excluded groups engaging with the arts for the first time in many cases.
Current partners we are working with include:
Stockton Riverside College, University of Durham, University of Teesside, Creative Partnerships Tees Valley, Arts Council England, Stockton Borough Council, Gifted and Talented, LSC, Neighbourhood Renewal, Cleveland College of Art and Design, University of Sunderland, Darlington College, Connexions Tees Valley, Learn2Work, Northern Film and Media, PRS Foundation, Stockton Adult Education, CIRA, Walker Hall Associates, Stockton Business Forum, European Social Fund and the National Lottery.