In 2023, Hull Maritime awarded 13 community grants to groups and individuals in Hull for activities with maritime links that would include and benefit local people.
This is the second round of funding that Hull Maritime has offered. Round two reached a wide range of community groups and has supported many varied and creative projects addressing issues/around themes of heritage, wellbeing and environment. We’d love to share the projects with you!
Our 2023 Community Grant Scheme Projects:
- Alex Hunt – Worked with young people to co-create a mural dedicated to women’s histories of maritime Hull, on the banks on the River Hull.
- Fantastic Faces – Maritime mural created within Pearson Park.
- Friends of Garrowby Orchard – Creation of interpretation panels for Setting Dyke Community Greenspace, exploring the site’s role in relation to water management for the city, biodiversity, and human wellbeing.
- Headscarf Revolutionaries Statue Management Committee – Series of consultation events across the city relating to a proposed Headscarf Revolutionaries memorial.
- Hull Bullnose Heritage Group – Purchase of crew records for the Fishing Heritage Centre to support their research on fishermen and trawling histories.
- Lauren Saunders – Creative wellbeing ‘Riverspeaking’ course focused on our relationships to water and the maritime environment.
- Mambo Jambo – A podcast co-created with young people at Ron Dearing UTC and West Hull Community Radio, focused on maritime themes.
- ‘The People’ Photography Collective – Photography exhibition of portraits and stories relating to Hull’s fishing heritage communities.
- Rooted in Hull – Maritime-themed arts, music, and culture event and associated workshops.
- St Giles Scouts – Day trip to Hull to complete the Fish Trail and learn about Hull’s maritime heritage.
- Tamar and Jo – ‘Sync or Swim’ community dance project and performance.
- Three Ways East – Project exploring maritime identity and storytelling; using photography, creative works, and exhibitions.
- 12 Tribes of Yorkshire – Community history project and exhibitions exploring the stories and experiences of local African and Caribbean seafarers and Hull’s African and Caribbean maritime stories.
The projects have all been really successful and have encouraged people to think about hull’s maritime identity in different ways. The projects have also helped a wider range of people to learn about Hull’s maritime history as well as giving people the chance to do something creative and improve their wellbeing.
We’d like to take the opportunity to share some of the feedback from the community grant fund projects:
“The people we have met have been fantastic. We have learnt much ourselves and visitors have been amazed at the breadth of stories told from life on the trawlers to life on shore and the memories (and myths) associated with that.” Nigel from The People about creating the ‘Fish!! Memories of Change’ photography exhibition.
“It has brought a self-pride to most participants and better understanding of the Afro Caribbean community's positive contribution in Hull and Britain's maritime history, and its role in nation building since they arrived in the shores of the UK. It also gave the wider community [a chance] to learn about the Afro Caribbean Maritime history from the Afro Caribbean point of experience and narrative.” 12 Tribes of Yorkshire about their Hull African and Caribbean Maritime Stories project.
“We can hear, how through the undertaking of this work people are more proud and connected. We can see that their involvement has allowed them space to share important things, in a safe space leading to them feeling respected and honoured.” Kate, from Three Ways East about maritime identity project.
“I’ve developed courage. Courage to make art in a different way but also to live in the world a bit differently.” Participant in the Riverspeaking project.
“We got very engaged in both the subject matter, Hull’s Maritime heritage, and in the project itself.” Frankie from Mambo Jambo about their podcast project.
“The response from the audience members was really good. I personally couldn’t have imagined the brilliant response from the audience of hundreds. There were giggles, cheers and applause in all of the right places. Like a true Hull audience, they were so supportive and encouraging” Nicola Meekin, participant in ‘Sync or Swim’ community dance project.
