Aylesbury's Queens Park Arts Centre receives grant as part of the Cultural Recovery Fund

Although the Centre has been able to reopen with its COVID-secure programme of visual and performing art workshops, its Limelight Theatre will remain closed until 2021, with the traditional ‘Queens Park Pantomime’ postponed as a result.

“We re-opened in September and our programme is well supported by the community,” says QPAC’s artistic director Sarah Lewis.

“However, financially, it is an ongoing challenge with the overall reduction in programme and restrictions in capacities. The

cultural recovery fund is hugely significant. For Queens Park Arts Centre, it means we'll be able to continue providing the participatory creative and cultural activities that so many people enjoy, and it means we'll have a secure base from which our partner organisations such as Unbound Theatre, the Susan Diane School of Dance and Aylesbury Youth Action are able to develop and thrive”.

The Centre was closed to the public for five months this year, but was quick to adapt to providing classes online as part of its #LiveCreativelyQPAC campaign, alongside an impressive roster of ‘lockdown’ audio and video projects from its production company Unbound Theatre.

“Queens Park Arts Centre runs an array of affordable weekly workshops and courses,” says Sarah.

“Taking a little time to focus on a craft, develop a new skill or just enjoy spending time (in a socially distanced way) in a creative environment, is hugely beneficial for children and adults to maintain a healthy and balanced life”.

To find out more about Queens Park, visit www.qpc.org, like @queensparkartscentre on Facebook, or follow @queensparkarts on Twitter and Instagram.