A NEW ART GALLERY FOR GRIMSBY? NELC KEEN TO PEP UP THE AREA'S CULTURAL SCENE

                                                                    

Tom Fleming - cultural guru

HOW can towns such as Grimsby, Cleethorpes and Immingham get themselves on to the UK's cultural map?

Currently probably regarded as something of a backwater, the three towns - along with the rest of  North East Lincolnshire - are to come under the focus of a consultancy, the Tom Fleming Creative Consultancy. 

According to the council, which has commissioned the work, the brief is to "explore and provide guidance on how to achieve a major shift in the borough's  cultural and leisure activities and status" over the next three years.

In particular, NELC is keen to ascertain whether is scope to develop a new major attraction - for example an art gallery - in the area and how this could "achieve sustainability".

An art gallery could allow public access to existing collections and artefacts which  are currently held in storage.

The authority is also keen to explore the future role and growth potential of the Fishing Heritage Centre.

And it wants to know whether there the area's currently limited  programme of events and festivals could be developed to extend activity in to the off-season

Based in East London, the same consultancy (which was set up in 2002) has already undertaken  similar projects in  Glossop, Bristol, Swansea and even Singapore.

Its chief is Tom Fleming who describes himself as " a leading international expert on the creative economy, cultural and arts policy and creative cities and regions".

It is not known how much  NELC is paying the consultancy for its survey nor whether any other firms or individuals were given the opportunity to bid for the contract. 

                                                             

Perhaps the famous portrait of the Mona Lisa could come on loan from Paris to Grimsby