Greater Manchester invests £300k in culture and community partnerships

• Eight ambitious culture and community projects awarded £300,000 funding through the new Collaborate fund 

• Investment will drive innovation, inclusion, and cross-sector collaboration across Greater Manchester’s cultural sector 

• Projects will empower communities, boost creativity, and promote cultural engagement across the city-region 

Following a competitive application process, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) has announced £300,000 of funding for eight culture, creative and heritage projects from across the city-region through the brand new Collaborate fund. 

The fund is designed to help organisations and individuals work together in new and innovative ways to strengthen Greater Manchester’s cultural sector. 

All eight projects selected to receive investment support the fund’s aims to drive economic growth, empower communities, spark creativity, and promote inclusive, safe environments. As a collective, the projects represent a wide-reaching geographic spread of impact and delivery across Greater Manchester. 

Funding awarded to each project was based on the amount applied for, whilst also ensuring that all eight projects created a portfolio that best delivered the fund’s themes. 

Councillor Neil Emmott, Greater Manchester Lead for Culture, said:

“The Collaborate fund is all about connection - bringing together communities, local authorities, cultural organisations and individuals to work in new and creative ways. This investment is a great example of how we can use culture to build stronger partnerships and tackle shared challenges. 

“By supporting collaboration across sectors and places, we’re helping to create a more inclusive and joined-up cultural landscape across Greater Manchester.” 

The fund is part of a wider ambition to embed culture into all aspects of life in Greater Manchester and to ensure the benefits of creative engagement span across the city-region in an inclusive manner. 

The eight successful projects are: 

• Castlefield Gallery - ANEW Decade: A long-term residency programme embedding visual art within substance-use recovery and wider community activities, aiming to inspire creative engagement and personal transformation. 

• Greater Manchester Arts Sustainability Network (GMAST): Evolving from a voluntary group into a formal co-operative, GMAST will lead on environmental responsibility within Greater Manchester’s cultural sector. 

• Hope Mill Theatre - SYNC: A new project led by and for neurodivergent young people, creating an accessible self-advocacy resource that young people can use to make their every day spaces more inclusive. 

• Keisha Thompson - Pan-African Congress 80th Anniversary Strategy: A cross-sector working group will develop a long-term strategy to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Fifth Pan-African Congress, which took place in Manchester. 

• The Octagon - Building Bridges: A collaborative project with Bolton Wanderers in the Community and The Met, Bury, creating new opportunities in theatre, music and sport for people with additional needs and learning disabilities. 

• Reform Radio - Beyond: Co-developing a best practice model for inclusive creative industry training, bridging the gap between the deaf community and the wider creative sector. 

• TiPP - Next Stop: A creative collaboration working with young people involved with or at risk of being drawn into the criminal justice system exploring their relationship with public transport through participatory arts, highlighting themes of journeys, accessibility and connection. 

• Venture Arts - Strands: A collaborative light and sound installation inspired by Greater Manchester’s textile heritage, led by learning-disabled textile artist Florence and exploring the meaning of ‘home’. 

By investing in collaboration through the fund, GMCA aims to build a strong foundation for long-term impact by creating networks and partnerships that continue to grow well beyond the life of each project.  

Notes to Editors 

• The Collaborate fund sits within GMCA’s broader Culture Fund portfolio, which supports a vibrant and inclusive cultural landscape across the city-region 

• Please see a breakdown of the £300,000 funding for the eight projects: 

• Castlefield Gallery - £50,000 for education and skills 

• Greater Manchester Arts Sustainability Network - £50,000 for environment 

• Hope Mill Theatre - £25,000 for health and wellbeing 

• Keisha Thompson - £25,000 for economy and innovation 

• The Octagon - £25,000 for education and skills  

• Reform Radio - £50,000 for education and skills 

• TiPP - £50,000 for safe spaces 

• Venture Arts - £25,000 for placemaking 

• For more information about Greater Manchester’s cultural investment, visit greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk 

Article Published: 11/07/2025 11:45 AM