Winter Gardens Grant Application Call for Activities

Great Yarmouth Borough Council (GYBC) has been successful in securing a grant of £12.3m from The National Lottery Heritage Fund (Heritage Fund) towards the revitalisation and reanimation of the historic Grade II* listed Winter Gardens.  More information about the project can be found in this press release.

The project includes delivery of an Activity Plan which is a wider ranging 5 year programme (2024-28) of participatory activities for the people of Great Yarmouth, aimed principally at those who are less likely at present to take part in cultural heritage activities.  The programme of activities has been scoped in consultation with potential organisations in Great Yarmouth that support people to take part in the best of the town's culture. 

What is the grant call is for

This grant application call is for 3 strands of activity planned for commencing in 2024 to be delivered by partner organisations working with the Council, managed by the Winter Gardens Partnerships and Engagement Coordinator.  The 3 strands are:

Strand 1: Cocreation - GY Stories

As part of the overall Winter Gardens Activity Plan this strand will deliver events between late Summer 2024 and Autumn 2028 to:

• engage local people in the target wards of Great Yarmouth where residents are least likely to engage with culture and heritage in memory gathering workshops to build up a social history resource to inform events and interpretation
• deliver cocreation activities aimed at supporting local people in target wards to shape the interpretation content by developing films and recording audio elements for use within the building
• support young people, particularly a Young Producers group, to engage in Winter Gardens Youth Engagement events including Open Mic Nights

Project Outputs

• GY Stories - 4 x workshops aimed at gathering memories of the Winter Gardens grouped by themes emerging from the Pilot Project. Content will feed into elements of the interpretation plan including films for the Winter Gardens 'Peepholes'. A record of stories, photos, and memorabilia from the Winter Gardens.
  • Achieved by Year 2 (2025)

Project Outcomes

• 80 local people from target wards engaged in cocreation activity.
  • Achieved by year 2 (2025)
• 80% of participants will report that they have learnt about the heritage, leading to a change in ideas and actions.
  • Achieved by year 2 (2025)
• Active and ongoing collaboration with partners and organisations: Norfolk Museums Service, Creative Collisions, John Innes Centre, East Coast College, East Norfolk 6^th Form, Access Community Trust, Historic England, Great Yarmouth Preservation Trust, George's Theatre, Out There Arts.
  • Achieved by end of project (2028). 

Strand 2: Creative Events - Winter Gardens Illuminate

As part of the overall Winter Gardens Activity Plan this strand will develop a digital media exploration and celebration using video, still images, sound, text, animation, archive and new material - to be shared to audiences both online and also through projected video installation onto/inside the building during appropriate moments of the construction period and potentially when the building is open.  It is envisaged that this strand will run from July 2024 -September 2024 (development and planning) and then from Oct 2024-June 2025 with screenings continuing after this date.  This strand will engage young people/community members in creative heritage activity and content generation and require:

• consultation with schools and community group members and managing their involvement
• artist led workshops with target audiences
• some allowance for participant refreshments to encourage participation
• equipment and materials for artist led workshops
• allowance for artist led final production of the installation including prep, polish, collating and loading
• live installation set up
• a coordinating producer role to manage the strand

Project Outputs

1. Managed and curated by the applicant, a major digital media exploration and celebration using video, still images, sound, text, animation, archive and new material - to be shared to audiences both online and also through projected video installation onto/inside the building during appropriate moments of the construction period and when the building is open. 
   • Achieved by year 2 (2025)
2. 30 workshop days per school term (i.e. x 3) across a range of schools/community settings.
   • Achieved by year 2 (2025)
3. Video installations running on a daily basis over 3 termly periods engaging a combined local and visitor audience over this period.
   • Achieved by year 2 (2025).

Project Outcomes

• 20,000 audience visits to see the Winter Gardens Illuminated digital displays.
  • Achieved by year 2 (2025)
• 500 young people and community members engaged in cocreation projects across the activities cocreation.
  • Achieved by year 2 (2025)
• 80% of participants will report that they have learnt about the heritage, leading to a change in ideas and actions, they have developed skills and they have greater wellbeing.
  • Achieved by year 2 (2025)

Strand 3: Youth Engagement

As part of the overall Winter Gardens Activity Plan this strand will deliver children and youth engagement activities between Autumn 2024 and Autumn 2028 to:

• deliver a programme of cocreation activities engaging schools and young people in the development of resources and interpretation within the Winter Gardens 
• develop and deliver the formal learning programme for key stage 1 - 4 
• develop and deliver youth engagement opportunities for young people aged between 11 years to 25 years including skills development, volunteering, work experience and employment opportunities linked to arts and heritage

Project Outputs

• Core children's activities - trails and backpacks: Deliver a cocreation project with local primary schools to develop resources for families and children to explore and learn about the Winter Gardens. Resources should include activity backpacks and interactive trails aimed at children aged 0 - 6 and 7 - 12.
  • Achieved by Year 4 prior to opening.
• Youth Initiatives: Deliver a programme of youth engagement activities aimed at young people aged 16 - 25 including: 
  1. A series of digital and oral histories from older people generated by GY Stories to be included in interpretation and on Our Great Yarmouth website
  2. The creation and production of a Zine designed by young people and sharing details of the Winter Gardens' past 
  3. The coordination of a development panel of young people advising on youth focused programming 
  • Achieved by Ongoing during years 1 - 5 of the project. 
• Young People Live Interpreters: Coordination of a programme of costumed character interpretation with St George's Theatre and local HE institutions. Through this programme young people aged 16 - 25 will work to develop 1^st person interpretative character narratives who will then act as freelance live interpreters at the Winter Gardens.
  • Achieved by Year 4 prior to opening.
• Digital Games Design: Coordination of a cocreation project with young people studying Games Design at East Norfolk 6^th Form. To engage them in a 12-week project designing an interactive game with an element of AR that will help visitors visualise the Winter Gardens in different eras.
  •  Achieved by Year 2 (2025). 

• Formal learning primary KS1 and 2: Development of an extension to their formal learning programme for primary school pupils in KS1 and 2.  Norfolk Museum Services will extend their 'Seaside Rocks!' School session to encompass the Winter Gardens and the development of the Golden Mile. They will be responsible for delivering the programme in collaboration with Winter Gardens Operators. 25 visits per year. 

  • Achieved by Development of programme prior to opening. 

• Design Challenge KS3: Development and delivery of a one-day STEM based design challenge based on an investigation of renewable energy solutions within the Winter Gardens. The design challenge day will be offered to KS3 schools. 

  • Achieved by Development of programme prior to opening

  • Delivery of programme ongoing from opening. 

• KS4 Work experience: Development and delivery of a structured KS4 Work experience programme taking place for 1 week in July each year of opening. For students taking part in their school's work experience programme.

  •  Achieved by Delivery of programme ongoing from opening

• Winter Festival of Education: Development and delivery of a Winter Festival of Education in which schools across Great Yarmouth will gather at the Winter Gardens to share exhibits, performance, demonstrations, and challenges from across all curricula and key stages in a 10-day Festival. 

  • Achieved by Development in first year of opening

  • Delivery November or December of the first year of opening

• MAP Great Yarmouth: To coordinate a project with MAP Great Yarmouth through which young people supported by MAP will help to ensure the lantern space within the Winter Gardens is treated as a wellbeing space by advising on the design, planting and developing resources.

  • Achieved by Prior to opening.

Project Outcomes

• 3420 students from local schools KS1 - 4 engaged in school visits or activities.
  • Achieved by End of Project (2028)
• 74 young people aged 16 - 25 engaged in youth engagement activities over the duration of the project.
  • Achieved by End of Project (2028)
• 6980 number of visitors attending youth programmed events or using materials cocreated by young people e.g. activity backpacks.
  • Achieved by End of Project (2028)
• 80% of participants will report that they have learnt about the heritage, leading to a change in ideas and actions, they have developed skills and they have greater wellbeing.
  • Achieved by End of Project (2028)
• Active and ongoing collaboration with partners and organisations: Out There Arts, John Innes Centre, East Coast College, East Norfolk 6^th Form, Access Community Trust, Historic England, Great Yarmouth Preservation Trust, George's Theatre, CPP Freshly Greated.
  • Achieved by End of Project (2028)

For the avoidance of doubt, Great Yarmouth Borough Council is only seeking applications for activities that deliver one or more of the 3 strands cited above.  This is not a general grant call for suggested activities. 

What are the Council's expectations of applicants?

The applicant will ensure that these strands are delivered to a high standard, meeting the agreed upon briefs for each project by: 

• working closely with the Council, the yet to be contracted Winter Gardens Operator(s) and the Partnership & Engagement Coordinator to ensure events meet the agreed upon outputs and outcomes 
• recruiting participants and partner organisations to take part in activities and promoting events to their wider audiences 
• ensuring that Activity Plan digital outputs comply with Heritage Fund regulations by meeting open access requirements  
• ensuring that Activity Plan outputs are delivered within time and budget 
• overseeing staff support of their Activity Plan projects, where necessary hiring other professionals or freelancers to assist with the development and delivery of projects 
• evaluating Activity Plan projects in accordance with the Winter Gardens Evaluation Plan and Heritage Fund Outcomes and keeping accurate records of the participation numbers 
• working within a consortium of organisations to feedback on the wider creative events, youth participation and community engagement offer outlined in the Activity Plan through the sharing of expertise and resources and promotion of projects. 
• Continually reviewing the strand in terms of relevance and suitability for current and future users (the target audiences); 
• Attend 2 review meetings with other consortium members as the architectural design for the Winter Gardens develops (RIBA Stage 4 & 5) to reflect understanding of strand audiences needs and motivations
• To provide information and evidence related to the strand for inclusion in GYBC quarterly reports submitted to Heritage Fund
• Ensuring that there is proper acknowledgement/use of Heritage Fund logo on public facing documentation in accordance with the Acknowledging Your Grant guidance on the website https://www.heritagefund.org.uk/funding/acknowledging-your-grant.

Management of the strands

These strands contribute to GYBC's overall Activity Plan - overarching responsibility for day to day management of that Plan rests with GYBC's Partnerships and Engagement Coordinator a full time role in place for the duration of the plan. That position will be the principal point of contact for organisations delivering the strand and for two way communication with the wider Winter Gardens project team. There will be public communications and marketing support from GYBC's internal team to support the strands.

Those delivering the strands will be expected to have interaction with the operator(s) contracted to run the Winter Gardens once opened. The operator(s) should be in place by early 2025.

Strategic oversight of the Plan rests with GYBC's Executive Director of Place, Natasha Hayes.

Evaluation and evolution of outcomes

GYBC is currently out to tender for an independent consultancy to undertake a wide ranging evaluation of the Winter Gardens project using a developed theory of change model and evaluation plan. The evaluation envisages a focus on Heritage Fund's Heritage Horizon themes and outcomes. The outcomes referenced for each strand form elements of the evaluation plan's measures of success and will be monitored by the evaluation consultancy. Organisations delivering the strands will be expected to work cooperatively with the evaluation consultancy to offer evidence towards the achievement of outcomes.

However, the evaluation role is also designed to be iterative and formative with staged reflection points that will allow lessons to be learnt and alternative strategies for delivery to be considered.  This means that GYBC expects that organisations delivering the strands may want to adapt and revise the achievement of outcomes based on continuous review of relevance as part of an open dialogue with GYBC.  In such circumstances, GYBC retains responsibility for agreement to any changes with Heritage Fund.

No project goes perfectly to plan and organisations applying to undertake one or more strands should be aware that the timetabling is, of course, dependent on the programme for the restoration of the Winter Gardens which is not set in stone and partly depends on the finalisation of the project scope and cost by early 2025.

How much funding is available?

There are fixed funding allocations agreed with Heritage Fund as follows:

• Strand 1:  £10,000 (excluding any applicable VAT)    
• Strand 2:  £31,525 (excluding any applicable VAT)
• Strand 3:  £25,000 (excluding any applicable VAT)

Who can apply?

This grant call is open to all not-for-profit organisations (such as charities registered with the Charity Commission, Companies Limited by Guarantee with no share capital, Community Interest Companies and Community Interest Organistions)

For the avoidance of doubt, unconstituted bodies are not eligible to apply.

What is the application process?

Organisations wishing to apply are requested to submit a word document of no more than 4 pages of A4 in 12pt font which outlines the following:

1. Which strand or strands are being applied for (organisations can apply for more than one strand)
2. For each strand applied for:
   1. A project outline that reflects the summary above
   2. Activities to be delivered and broad timeline
   3. How you organisation is best placed to deliver the strand and how you will work with the Council
   4. Statement on how the outcomes above will achieved
   5. Broad breakdown of funding required (including any applicable VAT)
   6. Number and types of audiences to be engaged
   7. Statement committing to working with Council's agreed evaluation methodology agreed with Heritage Fund.
   8. Signed statement that the person submitted the application has authority to do so from governing body.

What else should be submitted?

Please also submit your organisation's governing document and last year's accounts.

What is the deadline for applications?

5pm on 7 June 2024. 

How should applications be submitted?

Please email your application document, governing document and last year's accounts to stacy.cosham@great-yarmouth.gov.uk For the avoidance of doubt, applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered.

For further information

In the first instance please contact Stacy Cosham, Project Coordinator, Great Yarmouth Borough Council by email: stacy.cosham@great-yarmouth.gov.uk

What is the application process timetable?

What are the assessment criteria for the grant call?

Applications will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

• Quality of project outline (20%)
• Approach to activities to be delivered and broad timeline (20%)
• How well placed the organisation is to deliver the strand (30%)
• Degree to which outcomes likely to be achieved (20%)
• Approach to engaging numbers and types of audiences (10%)

Scored as a pass/fail will be:

1. Funding breakdown within stated strand budget
2. Statement on meeting evaluation methodology
3. Statement on authority to submit

The Council will assess submitted application according to these criteria and will award points up to the maximum shown against each heading in the Quality evaluation assessment table below. Failure to achieve a rating of satisfactory (i.e. a minimum unweighted score of 3 or above) in any one or more categories may result in the bid being disqualified at the Council discretion.