And the Winners Are ...

This year we have awarded over £47,000 to 27 organisations/individuals from Leicester(shire) & Rutland:

Chorus Theatre - Theatre Company from Loughborough http://www.chorustheatre.co.uk/

Andrew Scattergood – Musician & Comedian from Broughton Astley

Faya Wurks Records - Record Label from Leicester

Andfold Design – Design & Illustration from Leicester http://www.andfold.co.uk/

Catharine Ashdown - Script Editor from Bottesford

From Dusk to Dawn - Culture & Arts Magazine and Website from Leicester http://www.fd2d.com/

Donald Edwards - Freelance Choreographer from Leicester

Blue Butterfly Glass – Stained Glass Business from Lutterworth http://www.bluebutterflyglass.com/

Helen Rhodes - Visual Artist from Loughborough http://www.helenrhodes.com/

Virtual Motion Dance Co - Participatory Dance Company from Leicester http://www.virtualmotiondance.com/

Jo Cope - Fashion & Accessory Conceptual Designer from Glenfield http://www.jocope.com/

Shot for Meat – Illustration Company from Leicester http://www.shotformeat.com/

Kajal Nisha Patel – Photographer from Leicester http://www.kajalpatel.com/

Point Blank Photography – Photography Business from Melton Mowbray http://www.pointblankphotography.co.uk/

Linda Marie Young – Textile designer specialising in handmade boxes from Braunstone http://www.lindamarie.co.uk/

Foxtail Lily Designs - Wedding & Event Dressings designer from Farm Town http://www.foxtaillilydesigns.co.uk/

Jenny Clarke Design – Creates and supplies tattoo designs from Loughborough http://www.jennyclarkedesign.com/

Hive Films - Film production company from Leicester http://www.zombieundead.com/

Rosetha Claxton - Freelance Choreographer & Dance Teacher from Leicester

Ruth Wood - Jewellery Designer from Kibworth Beauchamp http://www.ruth-wood.com/

Sally Renner - Visual Artist from Oakham http://www.dottysally.co.uk/

Archives Crafts – Jewellery Designer and Silversmith from Eaton http://www.archivescrafts.co.uk/

Shauna Richardson – Sculptor creating life size animals using crochet from Stoughton http://www.crotchetdermy.co.uk/

Talking Rhythms – Holds rhythm and music workshops from Countesthorpe http://www.talkingrhythms.co.uk/

Art Cell – Participatory Visual Artist from Hinckley http://www.art-cell.com/

2 Funky Arts Ltd - Urban Arts Company from Leicester, headed up by Vijay Mistry http://www.2funkyarts.co.uk/

Ekit - Web Design from Goadby Marwood http://www.e-kit.co.uk/

Image by Paul Hurst Photography - www.paulhurstphotography.co.uk

Loughborough Uni graduate winners

As part of the Student Business Plan Competition we have awarded graduate bursaries of £1k plus business support to:

Chloe Hampson, Barn Door Theatre Company (a participatory artist running projects with older people in care homes to youth theatre workshops)

Jonathan Fenton, Biopod (an industrial designer whose Biopod stores kitchen waste ensuring it is sealed in and doesn't have to be emptied on a daily basis www.jonathanfenton.co.uk)

At The Mela

We are having a stall at the Mela Bazaar at Leicester Market as part of Leicester Mela on Sunday (12th July). Lucia or I will be on the stall from 11am giving out Made in Leicestershire directories and any other info and advice about Creative Leicestershire. Do come and see us.

Bursary applications

We've received 48 applications for our bursary scheme this year. I'm in the middle of doing an assessment of each application and then they go to our bursary panel for a final decision. We have a total of £47,500 to allocate from those lovely people at the east midlands development agency.

De Montfort Uni graduate winners

We awarded graduate start up bursaries of £1k plus business support to 2 wonderful start up businesses last night as part of De Montfort University's Business Venture Competition awards.

And the winners were:

Illustrator Rachael Smith http://www.rachaelsmith.org/ (see the wonderful life of Flimsy)

Lingerie designer Emma Amies http://www.cupcakelingerie.co.uk/ (fun 1950s-inspired lingerie range)

Ghosts of Eden novel published

Andrew Sharp's book The Ghosts of Eden has just been published by Picnic Publishing. Andrew is a doctor based in Leicestershire who has lived and worked in sub-Saharan Africa. The story of cross-cultural love and redemption is set in East Africa and available from amazon and www.picnic-publishing.co.uk. The book is launched in Leicester on 28 May with a talk from Corinne de Souza of Picnic Publishing. More info from Andrew on ajh-sharp@ntlworld.com

Tom Hare at Kew Gardens

Tom - the fantastic willow weaver from Stoke Golding in Leics - has been commissioned to do 10 commissions at Kew Gardens for their 250th anniversary. Here are a few pictures. For more on Tom see www.tomharewillowman.blogspot.com