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Arts Council supports Seven Stories, a celebration of children’s literature
IFACCA/Artshub, 20 August 2005,United Kingdom
An ambitious new £6.5 million project will provide an enthralling visitor experience around the theme of celebrating children’s literature.
The Seven Stories project originated as a charity in 1996 when founding directors, Elizabeth Hammill and Mary Briggs embarked upon an ambitious plan to draw together a collection of manuscripts, sketches, finished artwork and books that document the work of contemporary British authors and illustrators for children.
Essentially the project aims:
To house a national collection of original artwork and manuscripts of Britain’s modern writers and illustrators for children
To use this collection as the inspiration for exhibitions and education programmes.
Celebrate children’s books and make them widely accessible through community outreach projects.
Arts Council England was just one of many generous sponsors from both the public and private sectors who helped realise the project, allocating over £650,000 of arts lottery funding through the North East regional office.
The funding contributed towards the purchase of a former flour warehouse in the Ouseburn Valley, for conversion into the children’s book centre. The Valley is a designated regeneration area and is emerging as a distinctive cultural quarter of NewcastleGateshead.
Mark Robinson, Acting Regional Director, Arts Council England, North East, said: “Seven Stories is a national flagship for children's literature and a marvellous new visitor attraction for the North East. It's a unique collection and building and the kind of innovative cultural project that is regenerating this region. It exemplifies the power of the arts to transform lives and will entertain, enthrall and educate many thousands of people of all ages.” In the first year alone the centre expects to receive up to 80,000 visitors of all ages from across the region and beyond.
To view the Seven Stories website, CLICK HERE
For further information, CLICK HERE
Show latest news, more from August 2005.
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