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An ambitious two-year programme led by eight city partners launches this week, aimed at developing the cultural life of Worcester. Local Voices, Creative Choices will see a series of arts projects and festivals take place in the city, created with input from Worcester residents. There will also be a series of new professional development opportunities for FE and HE students, early career artists and creatives.

The programme has been made possible by a grant of £800,000 from Arts Council England.

Bridges of Light, presented by Severn Arts, is the first in a series of festivals that will take place across Worcester over the next two years, as part of Local Voices, Creative Choices. For this Festival, professional artists have worked with a range of community groups in order to share their stories through the light artworks and installations all exploring literal and metaphorical themes of bridges – connecting communities, environments, heritage and each other.

A spokesperson from the Local Voices, Creative Choices partnership board said: “In order to fully grow and develop the cultural life of Worcester – supporting artists, developing students, engaging communities and delivering high quality, meaningful cultural events – we are working collectively and collaboratively to ensure we take a strategic approach. Drawing on the expertise of all our partners – arts and non-arts – Local Voices, Creative Choices will deliver huge impact for our city.

“It really is an exciting moment as the project begins to come to life with a fantastic two-day light festival from Severn Arts, we look forward to seeing the city buzzing with communities and artists and to see this continue over the next two years.”

Local Voices, Creative Choices is a unique partnership, bringing together arts organisations Severn Arts, Scala Arts Centre, Worcester Mela; higher and further education providers

University of Worcester and Heart of Worcestershire College, plus Worcester Community Trust, Worcester City Council and Worcestershire County Council.

Following Bridges of Light, students from Heart of Worcestershire College and the University of Worcester will take part in a series of projects led by artists designed to prepare them for a better understanding of working on a live brief.

A new festival, organised by Scala, will take place in spring 2026. The Festival of Play 2026 will take place in and around The Arches and The Hive whilst Scala building work continues and will include circus, performance, dance, street games, music, gaming and visual arts for children and their grownups.

Local Voices, Creative Choices will run from Autumn 2025 until September 2027 and aims to deliver:

- A thriving new creative quarter around the Arches, Angel Place and Scala

- Inspirational festivals with the input of communities across Worcester. Developing a new, city-wide approach to commissioning arts professionals, creating locally distinctive festival events in collaboration with communities in Worcester

- Skills and talent development for students and emerging artists and creatives. New opportunities for learning and networking are being made for students in Further and Higher Education as well as early career artists and creatives, with the goal of retaining more young people working in creative industries in the city.

Find out more at www.severnarts.org.uk/local-voices-creative-choices