East England Arts

Welcome to the East England Arts website. On 27 November Eastern Arts Board changed its name to East England Arts. Over the next few months we will be adding information about new products and services from the government agency for the arts in East England.

East England Arts is the development agency for the arts in East England. We invest public funds in a range of professional arts organisations to assist their growth as part of the region's cultural economy. Our investments include the region's major arts venues and companies. We support initiatives to encourage new talent and provide opportunities for more people to enjoy the arts whichever part of the region they live in.

We are one of nine Regional offices which together with the London office form the Arts Council of England. We cover Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk, and Luton, Peterborough, Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock unitary authorities. In addition to investments from government sources, we distribute funds from the National Arts Lottery through the Regional Arts Lottery Programme.

Our major investments are made in partnership with Local Authority stakeholders. We have links with the East of England Development Agency, Living East, regional agencies such as the East of England Tourist Board and bodies such as the Local Government Arts Forum. Over the next three years we are working with our partners on initiatives to increase the economic and social impact of the arts in East England. As part of the national picture we work with the Arts Council of England, the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and the Film Council.

Between 2001 and 2004 our total investment in the arts in East England will total £30 million.

Directions to East England Arts

Our address is Eden House, 48-49 Bateman Street, Cambridge CB2 1LR. Bateman Street runs between Hills Road and Trumpington Road, and is about 15–20 minutes walk from the historic city centre. We are also very near the Cambridge Botanical Gardens.

By public transport
We are 10 minutes walk from Cambridge Railway Station – turn right at the end of Station Road into Hills Road, cross over at the traffic lights; Bateman Street is the next street on the left. We are 20 minutes walk from the Bus Station at Drummer Street (off St Andrews Street), or you can catch a bus to the railway station and get off in Hills Road. Coming from the city centre along Hills Road, Bateman Street is the fifth turning on the right after the traffic lights at the Lensfield Road and Hills Road intersection. Turning into Bateman Street from Hills Road, our offices are on the left, just past Bateman Mews, and nearly opposite Francis Passage in the two yellow-brick buildings joined by a glass section.

The name above the doorway to Eden House actually says ‘Cavendish House’. However, you’ll see plaques with our name on the pillars leading up the steps to the door.

By Car
Please note, Bateman Street is one way from Hills Road. The nearest all-day car parks are in Station Road near the railway station, and in Hills Road, between Brooklands Avenue and Station Road. Both are about 10 minutes walk away and charges start from £3.50 for a day. The nearest Cambridge City Council car parks are Queen Anne Terrace in Gonville Place and Lion Yard off Downing Street. The charges start at 90p for 1 hour and go up to £15 for over 5 hours. Parking information is available on the Cambridge City Council website

Pay & Display metered parking is also available in Bateman Street and other nearby streets, for a maximum period of two hours. The current charge is 10p for 15 minutes. If you get lost around the Cambridge road system, follow signs for the station or do call the Helpdesk on 01223 454400 and we can give you directions from wherever you are.

Mission

East England Arts' mission is to increase the impact of the arts in East England. We do this by leading partnerships to invest in initiatives that:

· address our priorities of Children and Young People, New Technology and Innovation, Promoting Regional Identity, and Expanding the Arts Economy
· create new sub-regional partnerships to improve the delivery of regional and local priorities
· raise the ambition, capability and reach of professional artists and arts organisations
· win public support and critical acclaim for the arts in East England.