East Devon’s Thelma Hulbert Gallery secures grant for youth art project

Thelma Hulbert Gallery (THG) has been awarded a significant grant from Arts Council England to work with local young people in the arts across East Devon.

THG is celebrating after securing a grant of £29,000 for the next generation of their Create Our Space (COS) programme.

The new COS programme will establish extensive and inclusive opportunities to engage with arts, culture and climate, responding particularly to the needs of East Devon’s young people aged 12-25, including those with disabilities – especially hidden.

Rooting this new programme firmly within the community and placing it in the hands of young people as the decision-makers, they will work with artists to explore engaging ways to respond to environmental themes, as well as developing a creative programme at THG and across East Devon.

THG will continue their Youth Network and re-recruit a student intern as Engagement Coordinator to produce off-site projects, events and workshops.

Building on the success of THG's touring art space: the Creative Cabin, a new 'Creative Cabinet' will see a more mobile and sustainable version bring art activities to rurally isolated communities.

The gallery and its youth team will work with nationally significant artist Ashish Ghadiali as well as other key partners: theUniversity of Exeter, East Devon and Blackdown Hills National Landscapes, Double Elephant Print Workshop, Radical Ecology, Clyst Valley Regional Park, as well as Honiton, Axminster and Sidmouth Community Colleges and Exeter College.

This project builds on the success of THG's 2023-24 COS project which piloted youth-led events and resources, employing an intern from the University of Exeter. It helped to dramatically increase the number and diversity of young people engaging with the gallery.

The funding will strengthen THG as a regional culture hub and help them explore a dynamic, collaborative way of working with rurally isolated young people to reach new audiences and embedding them in the gallery programme.

Councillor Nick Hookway, East Devon District Council portfolio holder tourism, leisure, sport and culture said: “I would like to thank Arts Council England for this generous grant of £29,000 to develop the 'Create Our Space' project. It will enable THG to build on their genuine commitment to young people, from the leadership through to the volunteers, to make sure young people feel welcome and included in THG and their activities across East Devon.

“My congratulations to all those involved in winning this award. I look forward to seeing the project in action.”