The Out There International Festival of Circus and Street Arts has received funding from Arts Council England

he funding comes from Arts Council England and will see Seachange, the organisation behind the Out There International Festival of Circus and Street Arts, develop the art forms in several areas.

'There's a rich heritage of circus and performance here in Great Yarmouth,' said Seachange chief executive Joe Mackintosh.

'With the help of this grant, we'll be looking to embed the creation and performance of circus further with local people and artists, attract international companies to visit and make Great Yarmouth a national focus for circus and street arts.'

The funding will provide support for capital costs and deliver an exciting performance and participation programme with international circus and street arts companies.

'We'll be investing in local delivery with creative sessions and holiday activities for communities across the town as well as professional development opportunities for local artists,' said Mr Mackintosh.

'The investment in Great Yarmouth is important, increasing the regional and national profile with an exciting boost to the town's cultural tourism offer.'

Seachange recently moved into their first permanent residence, the Drill House. The venue will be fitted out with circus rig and equipment and will become a creation centre for circus and street arts – attracting companies from across the UK and abroad to Great Yarmouth to develop new work.

The model will see many circus companies holding residencies at the venue where they will deliver creative projects for local people and work alongside local artists and companies to deliver training and professional development opportunities.

The ambition is that the Drill House will form one part of a new 'cultural quarter' with a strong focus on circus and street arts.

The town's newly refurbished St George's Theatre is set to host regular circus events in its indoor and outdoor spaces, while St George's Park hosts much of the Out There Festival programme.

The grant will also see Seachange working more closely with town's historic Hippodrome, bringing major international circus shows to the venue as part of the Norfolk and Norwich festival.

'This will be a major boost for the town and the region,' says Mr Mackintosh. 'Great Yarmouth will be providing a unique infrastructure for the UK circus and street arts sector.

'A range of venues and a programme of artistic development, creation, community involvement and performance unrivalled anywhere else.'

The Out There Festival itself will benefit, with a growing amount of prestigious indoor and outdoor circus work and Seachange will extend their own work with greater involvement with other festivals and events across the eastern region.

See some of SeaChange Art's latest work at the Out There Festival, taking place in Great Yarmouth - Tuesday, September 4 to Sunday, September 9, in St George's Park and locations around the town.

Further information is available from www.seachangearts.org.uk