A CULTURAL arts festival has been secured for the next three years thanks to grant funding.
Mablethorpe Area Partnership has been awarded a £45,000 Rural Development grant from East Lindsey District Council to deliver the Bathing Beauties Festival until 2016.
In 2011, the district council announced it would be putting £1.5m aside to support projects that increase investment, create or safeguard local employment, support the development of new business, attract additional visitors or increase the number of people involved in training or business development.
The partnership will use the Rural Development Grant money, alongside their own money and funding from Lincolnshire County Council, to deliver the festival and increase visitor numbers to the local area.
The money will also enable the increase of the amount of local businesses, local artists and schools who are involved in the event.
Mablethorpe Area Partnership Manager, Karen Froggatt, said: "The Bathing Beauties Festival is now a date fixed firmly on the annual calendar and is our biggest festival running over a whole weekend in mid-September.
"It attracts high visitor numbers, gives additional profile to our area and is a boost to the local economy outside of the main tourist season.
"The grant from the district council will ensure that the festival will continue and monies will be used to re-employ our festival coordinator, provide a stage and a number of high quality performances and interactive activities.
"In these difficult economic times, the grant allows us to work on a sustainability plan for the festival over the next three years, when hopefully the economic climate will have improved."
Councillor Craig Leyland, portfolio holder for economic regeneration at East Lindsey District Council, said: "The Bathing Beauties Festival is a traditional and important part of Mablethorpe's community, bringing in tourists and local residents to area, not only highlighting local talent and businesses, but promoting our local coast.
"I'm delighted that we've been able to support Mablethorpe Area Partnership in the continued deliverance of this yearly festival which supports our local economy."
Local communities and organisations still have the chance to apply for the funding by submitting expression of interests to the council.
Grants of up to £50,000 are made available for each project, which must demonstrate economic benefit to the district.
For more information visit www.e-lindsey.gov.uk/ruraldevelopmentfund or call 01507 613113.
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