Businesses encouraged to apply for vibrancy grants

Derby City Council is inviting applications to a fund, which aims to support city centre businesses in improving the visitor experience and increasing footfall.

The city council has opened applications for the Additional Restrictions Grant Vibrancy Fund.

Examples of the type of projects the fund could support include window treatments to minimise effects of vacant premises on vibrancy or to enhance businesses while they are trading.

Other improvements could be street canopy art projects, creative lighting, enhanced public realm and introducing more art into the fabric of the city in the form of decorated hoardings, painted streets, wall murals and so on.

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The fund will also support creative ways to promote the city as a vibrant place for a short break.

In a statement, the city council said: “A positive experience when visiting the city centre is essential to improve reputation and help the city to recover and to build on pre-Covid footfall.

“Now that restrictions have been lifted in the UK, we are looking to award grants to enable businesses to develop individual or joint projects that will support their own business in either the delivery and/or presence of the project while contributing to an overall improvement in the vibrancy of Derby.”

Organisations will be eligible to apply for the ARG Vibrancy Fund if they are based in Derby and are able to deliver vibrancy projects similar to those described either independently or by collaborating with artists/makers/suppliers.

Priority will be given to applications that can demonstrate wider benefits than support for an individual business and those that will build a legacy that will continue to deliver after the specific project has concluded.

Projects supported by the grant will need to be delivered before 22 February.

The closing date for applications is 6 September.

For more information click here.