Following the success of Culture Spark in 2022, Chichester District Council has announced that it will fund another two and a half years of events, live entertainment, and community projects to celebrate the rich and diverse range of cultural and heritage experiences in the district.
The project has received a total of £75,000 funding from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which will be used to extend the Culture Spark programme for a further two and a half years.

This year’s activities will start on Sunday 29 January between 9.30am and 1pm with a Community Sand Drawing Workshop on West Wittering Beach at East Head car park. Visitors will be able to watch artist, Mark Haddon Ford, work with the local community to create an artistic masterpiece, all of which will be captured on film before the tide comes in at 2pm. For more information about this event, email:  culturespark2022@gmail.com. You can also follow @CultureSparkUK on Facebook and Instagram.

Mark will then be creating a community landscape work of art in the grounds of Petworth House, from the wood cuttings that the gardeners gather. ‘Culture Spark at Petworth House’ will take place on Friday 17 February between 10am and 2pm. Families will be invited to get involved to help create the artwork, which will all be captured on film. Both of these activities are free to participate in or watch.
In addition, workshops have also been taking place in schools and colleges across the district. Ten local professional artists are currently working with local groups and schools to create an exhibition, which will be held in Chichester and Petworth in March.
All of the activities have been inspired by Pallant House Gallery’s current exhibition: Sussex Landscapes — chalk, wood and water.
“We are really pleased to announce the return of Culture Spark after it’s huge success last year,” says Cllr Roy Briscoe, Cabinet Member for Community Services and Culture at Chichester District Council.
“We are so lucky to have such a rich and diverse range of cultural and heritage experiences in the district and this is a fantastic way to celebrate everything it has to offer. We know from last year, that it also provides a wonderful opportunity to bring communities together and to encourage others to visit our beautiful district.”