Creative Blackpool

Our second Creative Network breakfast meeting was a fantastic morning @grandtheatrebpl - full of inspiring conversations and a real reminder of the breadth of creative talent here in Blackpool. A huge thank you to the brilliant @parkerwords , who shared insight into his creative process and spoke powerfully about his work around mental health, grief and resilience. Nathan has some exciting projects on the horizon, including new music, a podcast, and a touring show heading to the Edinburgh Fringe this August - definitely one to watch. Thank you as well to Karen Cody for generously sharing practical advice and valuable tips on applying for funding through @aceagrams , and for staying afterwards to speak with people one-to-one. We were also lucky to enjoy the wonderful sounds of @rhygrooves , who created the perfect atmosphere for networking. Be sure to keep an eye out for his future performances and events, including the next @hot.sake.music Sake night at @bootleg_social in June. It was great to connect over coffee and delicious baked goods from @hiveblackpool Café, and to hear people’s thoughts on what a UK City of Culture title could mean for Blackpool — and how they want to play a part in that journey. Thank you to everyone who came along and contributed to such a positive and energising morning. Save the date: our next Creative Network breakfast will take place on 17 September at Blackpool and The Fylde College. More details coming soon. #CityOfCulture2029 #UKCityOfCulture #BackTheBid #Blackpool #CreativeNetwork #ArtsAndCulture

We were up bright and early for the @creativeblackpool Network Breakfast at @grandtheatrebpl this morning ☀️ Another brilliant turnout of Blackpool based Artists, Creatives, Organisations and connected sectors looking to form connections and collaborate 🙌 Inspiring words from writer, poet and performer @parkerwords directly on his creative journey, funding insights from @aceagrams ’s Relationship Manager Karen Cody - and we caught up with @josephtravisart too, who was capturing the attendees in beautiful miniature watercolour portraits 🎨 #creativeblackpool #creativenetworkbreakfast #networking #cityofculture #sectordevelopment

✨ Blackpool artists - ready to level up your digital magic? ✨ @lightpooluk Digilab is back, and it’s bigger, bolder and brighter than a night on the Golden Mile. If you’re an early‑career or developing artist with a spark for storytelling, light, or experimental visuals, this is your chance to dive into a free week‑long projection‑mapping lab led by the brilliant team at @imitatingthedog - the creatives behind some of the UK’s most innovative site‑specific digital theatre. Hosted at Lightworks, the beating heart of Blackpool’s world‑famous Illuminations, Digilab is where ideas get messy, skills get sharper, and artists get braver. Expect hands‑on experimentation, storyboarding, animation, projection‑mapping techniques, and the kind of creative collaboration that only happens when you put ambitious people in a room full of light. ➡️ Applications are open now! 💡 Free to take part 🚀 A genuine launchpad for digital artists in the North West. If you know someone who should be in this room, tag them. If that someone is you, go for it - link in the bio. Let’s light up the future together. #CreativeSkillsDevelopment #CreativeTech #UKCityOfCulture #BackTheBid #CityOfCulture2029

Street art is doing more than brightening walls — it’s strengthening identity, pride, and connection across communities. 🎉Blackpool’s latest mural, “YOU GOT SOUL BOY”, has been stopping people in their tracks on Waterloo Road. Created by @coastalcolourclub — a collaboration between @housewingz and @panterbros funded by @bpoolcouncil — the piece captures how young people in South Shore feel about creativity in all its forms: music, skateboarding, dance, and the culture that shapes them. Co‑produced by @samdbelle and @aysh.de.belle at House of Wingz, alongside Rachael Leitch from @blackpoolcollege and a brilliant group of young people and volunteers, it’s a powerful example of what happens when local voices lead local art. And they’re not slowing down. Their next collaboration, “SHE ROCKS THE COAST,” is set to energise the Breaking Convention event at @grandtheatrebpl this June. 🏆A huge congratulations as well to Blackpool artist @seca_one (Christian Fenn) and Rochdale artist @aylo_nomad (Hayley Garner), whose organisation ‘The Butterfly Effected’ won a Pineapple Award this April for their Common Walls International Mural Festival in Rochdale. These awards celebrate excellence in placemaking and community‑centred design — and judges called their festival a “premier blueprint” for how creative activation can strengthen a town’s cultural identity. The Butterfly Effected continues to show how art, storytelling, and therapeutic practice can transform lives, particularly for those facing adversity, addiction, or mental health challenges. Street art isn’t just decoration. It’s dialogue. It’s identity. It’s pride. And right now, it’s kicking it. Images 1-3 courtesy of Coastal Colour Club Images 4-5 courtesy of The Butterfly Effected #CreativeBlackpool #UKCityOfCulture #BackTheBid #CityOfCulture2029

📢 OPPORTUNITY FOR CREATIVES 📢 Creative Blackpool is launching the first of many call outs for our Creative Community Commissions. We are inviting talented and ambitious creative/s to work directly with the residents of Claremont, Blackpool. Working alongside local charities — @cmmagicclub @claremontparkcommunitycentre and Claremont First Step Community Centre — the commissioned creative will help explore and strengthen Claremont’s identity. The aim is to challenge negative perceptions, celebrate local stories and assets, and co‑create a shared creative expression of Our Claremont. If you’re passionate about community‑led creativity and want to make a meaningful impact, this is a brilliant opportunity to collaborate with residents and help shape a proud, authentic narrative for Claremont. Read the brief, guidance, and application form on the Creative Blackpool website, link in bio. Application deadline: 19 May 2026 The commission value is £5,000.

Creative Blackpool brings together a vibrant network of arts organisations and independent creatives who help shape and enrich Blackpool’s cultural life. One of our valued partners is LeftCoast, who work closely with local communities to co-create cultural activity - supporting people to shape, choose and take part in the creative experiences that matter to them. Field of Dreams is a new long-term project by @leftcoastuk , developed in collaboration with artists Heather Peak and Ivan Morison from @morison_studio The project centres on a meadow in Mereside, which acts both as the site and the creative medium. Beginning this spring, the meadow will be planted as a wildflower landscape, gradually evolving into a large-scale artwork. Along the way, it will support biodiversity and soil regeneration, while also producing natural materials that will be harvested and transformed into structures built within the community. Over time, grasses and flowers will be shaped into shelters and shared spaces, places for rest, connection and encounter. Created with, and for, the people who live there. It’s a powerful example of how creativity can deepen our relationship with nature and with each other. Images created by artist Ivan Morison following a research trip to Blackpool.

We’re thrilled to share that the Grundy Art Gallery is set to receive a £478,000 investment through @bpoolcouncil and Arts Council England’s Museum Estate and Development Fund. This major upgrade will deliver vital structural improvements — better heating, electrical upgrades, roof and wall repairs, and enhanced environmental controls — ensuring the gallery can continue to host world‑class exhibitions. The timing couldn’t be better. The Grundy is currently home to Claude Monet’s The Petit Bras of the Seine at Argenteuil (1872), on display until June as part of the National Gallery Masterpiece Tour 2025–2027. This boost also strengthens Blackpool’s ambition as we bid to become UK City of Culture 2029. Learn more and show your support (link in bio). @aceagrams #ukcityofculture #CityOfCulture2029 @dcmsgovuk #FundedByUKGovernment Image: Going to the Match - Schools show and Engagement at Grundy Art Gallery

EVENT: Creative Network breakfast meeting, 14 May 8.30-10.30am The next Creative Blackpool Network Breakfast is live for booking. A room full of creatives sharing ideas, exploring opportunities, and shaping the future of culture in our town. The morning is all about empowering our creative community. 📌 Updates on the Creative Blackpool Place Partnership programmes 📌 Conversations about Blackpool's UK City of Culture bid 📌 Practical guidance on Arts Council funding from Karen Cody 📌 In conversation with the brilliant writer and performer @parkerwords 🎟️ Book your free place, link in bio. #CityOfCulture2029 #UKCityOfCulture #BackTheBid

NEW OPPORTUNITY + First Showcase Live! We’re excited to open up Art Stop, a year‑round platform offering eight poster spaces in one @bpoolcouncil tram stop for artists, creatives, and organisations to share their creative work and projects. With five‑week exhibition slots available throughout the year, it’s a chance to bring bold ideas into public space and be part of Blackpool’s creative energy. 👉 See link in bio Kicking things off in style, @hiveartsbpl have worked with St Aidan's Church of England High School to present a vibrant selection of work from the school’s incredibly talented young artists. Their creativity sets the perfect tone for what Art Stop is all about—visibility, expression, and community pride. #bepartoftheart #CityOfCulture2029 #CityOfCulture

👏 Last week was a huge week for culture in Blackpool — here are the highlights: - Visited The Big Light exhibition at @hiveartsbpl and celebrated the brilliant work of the @blackpoolcollege Cultural Leadership Bootcamp cohort. Their growth in confidence, skills and creative leadership was incredible. - Energising conversations at Making Waves (at @housewingz ) with colleagues from creative, health and charity sectors — exploring how Creative Health can drive real change in Blackpool. Powerful insights from @movetogetherblackpool and a standout spoken word performance by @parkerwords - Toured Lightworks to plan upcoming Cultural Passport activities for young people. Exciting things ahead @lightpooluk - Met with @chriswebbmp to discuss Creative Blackpool, the Cultural Passport and introduce young people from Creative Fusion. A thoughtful conversation with plenty of potential for the future. - Rounded off the week at the opening of the @grundyartgallery spring show — featuring an original Claude Monet on tour from @nationalgallery for the first time in 20 years. The piece is accompanied by a sound piece created by young people from @cmmagicclub with artist Kelly Jane Jones alongside a new exhibition by Louise Giovanelli, returning a decade after her first solo show at the Grundy. 🎨 Blackpool is alive with culture — creativity is happening in every corner, driven by people who care deeply about making change together. #CityOfCulture2029 #CreativeBlackpool #UKCityOfCulture #BacktheBid Images courtesy of: @adrian_pritchard_art , Andrew Walker, Magic Club, Nathan Parker and Grundy Art Gallery.

✨ Creative Opportunities Announced for Lightpool 2026 ✨ @lightpooluk is Blackpool's contemporary light art public showcase for exciting new artistic and technological collaborations. They have just opened up 4 brand‑new artist commissions for its 2026 programme — an exciting boost for creatives and a brilliant step forward for Blackpool’s growing cultural ecosystem. These opportunities invite artists working with light, installation, digital media, and experimental practice to propose bold new works that will help shape the next edition of Lightpool (21-31 Oct 2026). Whether you’re an emerging voice or an established practitioner, this is a chance to develop ambitious ideas with real support behind them. OPEN CALL - £20K, deadline: 1 May Looking for talented individuals/teams to create an engaging light artwork that has the power to captivate and inspire audiences of all ages. LUCENT - £7K, deadline: 8 May Looking for light arts professionals and newcomers to submit innovative concepts. (One place reserved for people who are currently living in or originally from Lancashire.) TOWER PROJECTION - £7K, deadline: 15 May Looking for digital animators to create a fun, family friendly projection. WEDDING CHAPEL PROJECTION - £5K, deadline: 15 May Looking for a UK based digital animator to create a 3 to 4 minute chapter that shows off the best of 3D animation. If you’re ready to experiment, push your practice, and bring something extraordinary to life, now’s the time. 🔗 Find out more and apply via link in bio 📷 : Lightpool 2024, Pulse, Visit Blackpool

Feeling incredibly proud today watching the very first of our Creative Horizon Launch Gatherings come to life ✨ What began as an idea—to support creatives who want to live and work in the town, grow their practice, and take their ambitions beyond solo work—has officially taken its first real‑world steps. Seeing people come together to reflect on their own professional development, explore what the sector here truly needs, and openly share values and provocations… it’s been inspiring in every sense. Expertly lead by Melanie Whitehead from @theoldelectric with supporting facilitation from Buzz Bury the group where given practical tools to move closer to becoming the curators, producers, and event makers shaping Blackpool’s future. ✅ If you want to be part of this conversation there is one more event coming up on the 25 March. Book on: Link in bio