Latest news with #ArtsCouncilEngland-funded
BBC News
19-04-2025
- General
- BBC News
Bradford libraries target male readers in five-year plan
More men are being encouraged to use libraries following a review of Bradford's Council said its plans for the next five years included creating a City of Culture legacy by providing more reasons for under-served communities to visit its council's draft library strategy said men made up only a third of registered library membership across Bradford and young people were also underrepresented."While there are higher numbers of males making unregistered use of the library service, it is clear we need to do more to serve this part of the local population," a council report said. The council hoped the UK-wide project The Big Tasty Read, part of Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture and Bradford Literature Festival, would encourage more men to use libraries, according to the said: "Our Arts Council England-funded project The Big Tasty Read will focus particularly on engaging male audiences in reading and using libraries during the City of Culture year and beyond."The Big Tasty Read is a UK-wide campaign using books featuring food to encourage more people to read.A draft libraries strategy published by the council, and currently out for public consultation, suggests the service could apply for Arts Council England funding to help support libraries in the future.A key way to improve the library service would be to "appeal to new audiences," the document added: "Teenagers and young people aged 18-25 are also underrepresented as library users, and we need to do more to engage them and co-produce the library services of the future with them, to meet their needs."To do this we need to use our City of Culture 2025 projects to engage with audiences who are currently underrepresented."City of Culture provides an unparalleled opportunity to showcase the libraries' role as cultural and community hubs."A recent review of the library service found despite a decrease in staffing levels and funding, the service had seen a rise in the number of events held in libraries in the past five year, Bradford Council approved £175,000 cuts and reduced opening hours, according to the Local Democracy Reporting according to a report, there had been a 65% increase in the number of events in libraries in the past five years – up from 2,982 in 2019-20 to 4,936 in than £800,000 has been invested in the library service in the five-year period, with 10 of the 12 council-run libraries refurbished. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
BBC News
13-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Vote to decide Northampton museum exhibition 100th local object
The public are being invited to vote for what should be the 100th object to be included in a new museum display reflecting local items have been shortlisted for inclusion in the history of Northamptonshire in 100 Objects exhibition at Northampton Museum and Art Gallery from shortlist includes Northampton Town's 2020 League Two play-off final trophy, a Dr Marten's boot and the lantern from Northampton's Diwali lights exhibition is part of the Arts Council England-funded Histories of Northamptonshire project. The Conservative-controlled West Northamptonshire Council said 99 other objects had already been selected by guest curators and museum final piece will be chosen by a public vote, which is open until 31 March. Councillor Daniel Lister said: "This exhibition is a fantastic way to celebrate Northamptonshire's incredible history, and we want the community to have a say in how their recent past is represented."Each of the shortlisted objects reflects a different aspect of our county's evolving identity, from activism and creativity to sport and industry." Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
27-01-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Bone from UK's largest stegosaur fossil returns to hometown
A bone from the largest stegosaur fossil ever found in the UK is returning to its hometownThe piece of vertebra is said to have come from a dinosaur discovered about 150 years ago in Swindon, which experts have said is the UK's most complete stegosaur will be on display at Museum & Art Swindon on Euclid Borough Council councillor Marina Strinkovsky said: "It's fantastic that a piece of it is coming home." The fossil was first found in the quarry pit at Swindon Brick and Tile Company in 1874, a site now occupied by Halford's and The Range on Fleming most of the Swindon Stegosaur remains on display at the Natural History Museum in London, smaller parts were taken by fossil hunters and dispersed into other collections. 'Ignites imagination' "Swindon was really important in the history of palaeontology and loads of important fossil hunters lived here or visited Swindon in the late 19th Century to look for specimens," Ms Strinkovsky said."The stegosaur ignites the imagination of Swindonians of all ages," she were large, armoured, herbivorous dinosaurs that lived roughly 150 million years ago. The latest artefact to join the council-run museum was found by palaeontologist Dr Neville Hollingworth and Sally Hollingworth, who have been working alongside museum volunteers and staff through the Arts Council England-funded 'Unlocking Collections' pair said: "We saw this specimen for sale and realised its importance straight away."When the Swindon Stegosaur was collected in the 19th Century some of the original material ended up in private collections and we instantly recognised that the vertebra offered for sale had come from the original site where the skeleton was found."We're delighted that Museum & Art Swindon has put this truly unique find from the town on display and, hopefully, this will help raise awareness about the town's Jurassic past," they added.
