A SWINDON digital company with an “exceptional” record of working with young people is celebrating a double funding boost amounting to £740,000.

Create Studios has landed £360,000 in National Lottery funding to create a ‘cultural hub’ in the centre of the town and another sum of £380,000 after becoming part of Arts Council England’s National Portfolio 2018-2022.

The Lottery money is a capital award to allow the not-for-profit company to forge ahead with “ambitious” plans to move into a new home dedicated to digital and creative media.

The separate Arts Council investment has been awarded as part of Create joining the distribution body’s new portfolio, which sets out its ambitions across England.

Artistic director Shahina Johnson said: “We’re absolutely thrilled.

“It’s a vote of confidence from Arts Council England after being in Swindon for over 30 years building talent among people going into the creative industries.

"It’s fantastic to have that track record recognized in the support we are being given to realise our vision for the next four years. It’s the start of a new era.”

The award-winning digital experts join other arts and cultural organisations in Wiltshire that will receive around £7.3 million in funding over the four-year strategy.

Swindon Dance will receive £824,800, with Swindon theatre company Prime Theatre being awarded £351,748.

The remaining organisations are Salisbury Arts Theatre Ltd, The Pound Arts Trust Ltd at Corsham and Wiltshire Music Centre Trust Ltd at Bradford on Avon.

Phil Gibby, the Arts Council’s South West area director, said: “We are proud to be welcoming Create Media Studios into the National Portfolio as well as to support their plans to transform a former nightclub into a cultural hub in the centre of Swindon.

“We look forward to the increased opportunities for children and young people that will arise from this funding and the new premises.”

A total of 103 organisations in the South West will share a pot of £109m over the National Portfolio funding period.

Mr Gibby added: "This is an exceptionally strong portfolio of organisations delivering great arts and cultural experiences to audiences throughout the South West.

"We’re delighted to be able to consolidate our investment in Wiltshire as well as to welcome to the portfolio Create Studios and the museums that form part of the Wessex Consortium.”

The portfolio invests in a wider range of organisations than ever before with the aim of increasing the number of people who can experience arts and culture on their doorsteps.

Salisbury Museum and Wiltshire Museum both enter the strategy as part of a wider consortium of regional museums, Wessex Museums Partnership.

Salisbury International Arts Festival, Salisbury Playhouse and Salisbury Arts Centre are merging to become one organisation and will be awarded £5 million over the four years.

The Arts Council announced today: “Digital experts Create Studios in Swindon also join the portfolio and will benefit from a National-Lottery funded Capital award.

"They bring expertise in supporting young people to learn new skills and develop their talent and have an exceptional track record of working with people from socially excluded and black and minority ethnic backgrounds.”

Create plan to establish a centre comprising studios, meeting rooms and exhibition spaces. The new base will help support a special educational needs and disabilities programme and create sub-letting possibilities to raise funds. The location has yet to be announced but it will replace the company’s current home at the Wyvern.