FOURTEEN organisations across Essex have secured funding from the council’s Arts and Cultural fund.

The successful organisations will receive between £2,600 and £20,000.

The fund supports projects that engage with community groups and bring communities together.

Councillor Mark Durham, Cabinet Member for Devolution, the Arts, Heritage and Culture, said:

“This year’s successful applicants were chosen from an incredibly high‑quality set of entries, representing a wide range of creative projects.

“The successful projects offer rich cultural opportunities for residents of all ages and backgrounds. I look forward to seeing the positive impact they make on local communities.”

Residents will be able to enjoy the projects below.

Inclusion Ventures – Seen and Heard programme, Tendring. A project that supports vulnerable young people aged seven to 21-years-old who are facing poverty, low aspiration and educational barriers. The project will offer inclusive art-based pathways to help build confidence.

Harwich Electric Palace Trust – Community Screenings for Connection. A series of film events using cinema to celebrate diversity and strengthen community wellbeing. The project aims to help reduce isolation for older people and those with autism.

Jaymini Nakum, Chai Mixers, Colchester. A series of Chai-themed arts and cultural events. Open to all residents, the events aim to bring communities together through a shared understanding of heritage and culture.

Phoenix FM – Stories from our Communities: A training programme open to all Essex residents. It uses storytelling and the medium of podcasts and creative radio content production.

CLIP Sound and Music CIC, The Essex Community Music Project, Colchester, Tendring, Maldon. A programme of creative music workshops designed to use music and the arts to build community cohesion.

Sally Hardcastle, Saplings, Harlow and Epping. A nature programme for children up to seven-years-old and their families. It combines creativity with the natural world.

Orchestras Live, Good Company CIC, Castle Point and Rochford. The project aims to close the health inequality gap for those living with dementia. It will hold weekly activities led by art, dance and music professional in community spaces.

Kate Austen – The Farm, Basildon. A programme delivered with the charity GATE. It will explore marginalised communities and tackle issues such as social isolation and displacement.

Show Up Productions, Playwriting, Castle Point. Workshops for local communities. Led by award-winning play and script writers from the theatre and television industries.

Steven Dorrington, ScreenTime. A series of professional screen acting workshops across Essex. They will support greater representation of working-class people in the creative industries and screen sectors. The training programme will provide young people with technical skills in lighting, camera work, script writing and performance.

Magic Me, Tendring, Chelmsford, Spark Family and Friends. Workshops and activities for care home residents’ and their families. They aim to support wellbeing.

North Essex Heritage, Colchester, Water Stories. A nine-month filmmaking and heritage research programme for young people focusing on water. It will explore the links between the tower, Jumbo, and its historic role in Colchester’s water supply. It will also explore global issues, such as accessing clean water and environmental sustainability.

Maldon Festival, Maldon. A rich programme of music, visual arts, theatre and community engagement across Maldon. It will align with Maldon Art Trail and Heritage Open Days. Musicians and creatives will hold workshops in local schools which support cultural education.

Roman River Festival, Colchester and Tendring, Berryfield Buskers. Named after the Roman mosaic displayed at Firstsite, a year-long series of once-a-month free ‘busking’ weekend performances. It will support young people aged eight to 18 in developing their performance skills.

For more information visit www.culture-essex.co.uk/projects.