Empty town centre shops in Taunton and Blackburn will be transformed into creative and learning centres to actively involve local people and encourage people into informal learning.
Empty town centre shops in Taunton and Blackburn will be transformed into creative and learning centres to actively involve local people and encourage more and diverse people into informal learning thanks to the Learning Revolution Transformation Fund.
The projects, funded by a grant to the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) from The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills Learning Revolution Transformation Fund will encourage groups of adults, who may have not participated in learning activities previously, to get involved in plans for their community and acquire new skills in a relaxed environment.
The MLA has been awarded £100,000 from the £20 million fund to open up new informal adult learning opportunities, particularly for people from disadvantaged groups.
Blackburn’s interior design shop opens on 1 February as a base for POP – ‘Project Our Place: Arts in the Heart of Blackburn’ to celebrate Blackburn and its community. Local artists will run workshops and events for local people – creating opportunities to learn and have a go at something new including drawing, painting, writing poetry, playing a musical instrument or dancing.
Taunton high street’s shop is being converted into a base for the ‘Our Place, Your Place: Taunton’ project’. The aim is to bring residents together to share memories, thoughts and pictures of the town as well as learn about how Taunton is changing. The former shoe shop, opens on 8 February 2010 and will be a valuable community meeting point hosting a programme of activities and exhibitions over a six week period looking at Taunton’s past, present and future.
