Our history

Arts Alive in Shropshire and Herefordshire was established as a Charitable Trust in 1999 (charity no. 1075794) and is managed by a Board of Trustees.

It was formed from a merger between two distinct touring schemes covering the two counties of Shropshire and Herefordshire. The merger was seen as an opportunity to develop a stronger organisation with a more cost effective administration base and a grant from the Baring Foundation assisted us through the transition.

We currently have 7 Trustees who take overall responsibility of the organisation. Trustees are from a mix of backgrounds and include a student, a retired solicitor, a gallery owner, retired civil servant and art marketing professional. Two trustees are also promoters.

Artful Management are the administrators of Arts Alive. 

Arts Alive organises about 800 events a year including music, drama, dance, film, puppetry and storytelling. Arts Alive is dedicated to providing local people in rural areas with the opportunity to choose and promote professional arts events in their local venue. 

Arts Alive works with over 130 venues, including village halls, community centres, churches and woods; in fact any suitable local space.

Promoting professional arts events in partnership with local people bringing high quality and affordable arts events to within easy travelling distance of every person in Shropshire and Herefordshire

By working with rural communities in Shropshire & Herefordshire we aim to bring good quality local, regional, national and international artists and films to local venues so that people living locally can have access to exciting, moving and entertaining 'performances'.