Around 50 scholars attended the reception, many with their family and friends, providing a unique opportunity for donors to meet the students they support.

UEA and Arts Council England Commit to Enrich Norfolk's Arts and Culture

L-R: Prof David Maguire, Vice Chancellor of the University of East Anglia and Darren Henley CBE, Chief Executive of Arts Council England

Norfolk’s cultural landscape is set for a transformative shift as the University of East Anglia (UEA) and Arts Council England (ACE) announce a pioneering partnership. This collaboration, formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on May 21 at UEA’s Sainsbury Centre, aims to enrich the region’s arts and culture scene by boosting creativity, research, and cultural activities.

The MoU, signed by UEA’s Vice Chancellor Prof David Maguire and ACE’s Chief Executive Darren Henley CBE, signifies a shared commitment to champion greater public engagement in the arts, particularly in areas of historic underfunding, rural isolation, and socioeconomic hardship. This partnership leverages UEA’s strengths in creativity, climate science, and health research to develop new national delivery exemplars through joint working.

Key Goals of the Partnership:

Enhancing the Creative Economy: The collaboration aims to cultivate new opportunities for Norfolk’s creative sectors, ensuring they thrive and grow.
Educational Opportunities: UEA and ACE will provide education and training for young people aspiring to enter the creative industries.
Climate Action: Leveraging UEA’s expertise in climate research, the partnership will help the cultural sector respond to the climate crisis with sustainable practices.
Health and Wellbeing: Drawing on UEA’s health research, the collaboration aims to influence health policies and improve wellbeing through the arts.

This strategic partnership builds on UEA’s 60-year legacy of excellence in these fields. UEA’s role in training the next generation of creative practitioners and generating world-class research is seen as pivotal in driving forward innovation in the creative industries.

Norfolk is acknowledged as a thriving regional hub for the arts and creative industries, enriching lives and contributing to health and wellbeing. This historic agreement is dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion within Norfolk’s artistic community, paving the way for unparalleled growth and innovation.

Darren Henley CBE echoed these sentiments, stating, “Norfolk is home to a vibrant community of artists and cultural organisations, whose work is both ambitious and of the highest quality. The stories they tell have the power to change lives here for the better.” He added that UEA’s role in training future creative practitioners and generating world-class research makes Norfolk an even more attractive place to live, work, and study.

David Ellis, UEA’s Director of Development, Alumni and Campaigns, highlighted the significance of this strategic alliance, noting the long-standing support from Arts Council England including the ground-breaking Future and Form project, marking 50 years of our world-renowned Creative Writing programme, and a £325,000 grant to the Sainsbury Centre, for urgent glass repairs in 2022. He emphasised that this partnership supports UEA's strategic direction focusing on creativity, health, and climate while engaging communities through a new civic agenda. “We are delighted to celebrate through this agreement, supporting our future joint working, and builds on years of Arts Council England support for our Sainsbury Centre,” he said. “As we celebrate our 60th anniversary at UEA we are pleased to develop our partnership working to deliver wider benefits for the people of Norfolk and our many visitors.