7E Youth Academy to receive substantial award from Arts Council England’s Capital Investment Programme

7E Youth Academy is among 66 cultural organisations across the country to benefit from a share of over £22.7 million from Arts Council England’s Capital Investment Programme 

This award will help to improve the environmental substantiality of Legacy Centre of Excellence, increase energy efficiency, vastly improve sound and lighting and building systems to make the spaces ready for the future.

7E Youth Academy, is located at Legacy Centre of Excellence in Newtown and received a substantial grant from Arts Council England’s Capital Investment Programme.

As part of these 2021-22 and 2022-23 grants, over £22.7 million has been awarded to 66 cultural organisations across the country, including 7E Youth Academy. The Capital Investment Programme aims to help cultural organisations across the country transform their buildings and equipment so they can operate safely post-pandemic, improve access, seize technological opportunities, and reduce environmental impact. From Barrow-in-Furness to The Isles of Scilly, the organisations receiving funding share a vision to build a fit for the future cultural sector, which all members of their communities can access.

7E Youth Academy is an award-winning arts and community organisation which manages Legacy Centre of Excellence in Birmingham. The facility has quickly established itself as a national hub for Black and ethnic minority arts. The organisation is skilled in working with grassroots artists, successfully engaging marginalised and diverse communities, and developing audiences to see new work.

Darren Henley, Chief Executive, Arts Council England said “World class creativity and culture needs a resilient and sustainable infrastructure to allow it to flourish. With these investments in the buildings, equipment, and digital systems of cultural organisations across England, we are helping to secure the future of that infrastructure and making sure that people from every part of the country can continue enjoying all the benefits it delivers for years to come.”

Keith Shayaam-Smith CEO at 7E Youth Academy said “We are incredibly grateful to Arts Council of England for their support with this grant. We now have the opportunity to improve the energy efficiency of the building, which is becoming more important by the day. We can also improve the different spaces at Legacy Centre of Excellence in a multitude of ways, to make the experience of both the artist and the audience one of excellence. We are developing a national arts facility on the community’s doorstep, and we are immensely proud and excited about that.”