PARTNERSHIP FUNDING FOR THE MOMC TRUST

1. The MOMC Project has been developed by the Arts Office on behalf of the County Council over a period of years with the active support of Arts Council, South East. Originally the Museum of Modern Crafts, all efforts are now being employed to move away from the original museum concept and to realise an international vision for the crafts on different sites in the County.

2. The first two elements within this project are the Leigh Park Craft Initiative in Havant as described in the item above and the creation of a large exhibition and education space in Basingstoke Town Centre in which the MOMC Trust will be based. This has been established to work up the feasibility of a major commercial outlet for makers involved in the MOMC network, to establish a crafts exhibition and education facility as a venue for major exhibitions of crafts and to establish a crafts development agency (CDA) for the region.

3. The Trust has been established in partnership with Arts Council England and Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council over a three year period and the Executive Member has agreed a contribution of £15,000 from the Recreation and Heritage Budget for 2003/04 as the first payment towards the Trust.

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