Our application to the Arts Council, England’s Library Improvement Fund has been successful, with a grant of £198,000 towards a £248,000 project to radically improve the first floor of the Forum Library in Wythenshawe Town Centre. The library, based on two floors receives up to 150,000 visits a year and is an extremely popular facility in the heart of Wythenshawe, used by all ages.
The Investment will transform the first floor of the library to create a flexible community creative and social space. It will be equipped for small scale, flexible performance and film spaces, music recording and creative digital facilities, as well as attractive social space and meeting spaces with an and engagement focus. It is intended that the space will be a resource for young people as well as the wider community.
We are looking forward to working with our partners, such as the Forum Trust, Wythenshawe’s Youth and Play Partnership, as well as cultural and creative organisations and groups to activating the spaces.
The initiative builds on the Forum Library as one of the city’s three creative space libraries, which has seen a popular programme of cultural and creative events for all ages.
The library is already well used by a range of groups, such as Lego clubs, Talk English, Wythenshawe History Group and ReadEasy. and we are looking forward to continuing partnerships with them, as well as making new connections.