Transported says it will be consulting with South Holland residents on plans for £1million Arts Council funding

An organisation says the public will be able to help shape its plans of how to spend £1million on arts activities in this area.

Transported is about to embark on its next funding phase, Mind the Gap, after receiving the Arts Council funding to provide more activities in both South Holland and Boston last week.

The organisation, which has been running in this area for 12 years, has been involved with a number of projects including the willow sculptures along the banks of the River Welland, the tulip themed mural on Herring Lane, along with the cow and sheep statues in Spalding town centre.

A spokesman for Transported says it aims to ensure people in rural areas have access to the arts and will soon be consulting with residents to find out what they want.

A statement from the organisation said: “Our plans for Spalding are for the plans to be shaped by consulting the community.

“So our next steps are to reach new audiences; we’ll focus on the places, groups, and communities where engagement with our arts activities has so far been lowest or harder for people to access.

“Over the first months of Mind the Gap, we’ll be out in the community consulting with residents and local partners to understand what matters most to them and how creativity can make a difference.

“We know there’s strong local appetite for festivals, public art, and hands-on creative activity — from projects like the 1000 Faces sculpted heads and portraits to the South Holland Stone Carving group. These kinds of initiatives show how creativity can build lasting skills and connections, and we’ll build on that success.”

Big changes are afoot for Spalding thanks to the £20million Government Plan for Neighbourhood money.

Spalding Town Board has recently been consulting on its vision for the town, which would include a canopy over the market place, gateway arches along with proposals to make more of the River Welland.

The Transported statement added: “Our work will be complimentary to the work being delivered by the Spalding Town Board, and where appropriate and where it would allow more people to access high-quality cultural activities, we'll align with Spalding partners and the Town Board to deliver these shared ambitions.

“This funding also gives us the flexibility to listen first and shape future activity collaboratively. Our aim is to ensure every resident, whether in a market town or rural village, can experience high-quality, locally relevant arts.

“If anyone in South Holland have some suggestions or want to talk with us further, they are very welcome to email us on transported@lincoln.ac.uk”