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Four Ipswich-based organisations will deliver projects focused on racial equality, youth offending, and making the arts more accessible to disabled and disadvantaged children as part of Suffolk's £500,000 cultural funding boost.
Why it matters: The funding will support grassroots initiatives that directly impact local communities, from helping young offenders to supporting disabled children.
The big picture: Suffolk County Council has awarded grants to 33 arts organisations and museums across the county, following a rigorous selection process that saw 131 applications requesting £2 million in total.

By the numbers:
£20,000 awarded to Red Rose Chain for theatre activities with disabled and disadvantaged children
£20,000 to Aspire Black Suffolk for addressing racial inequalities through arts and education
£14,950 to The Hive for amplifying diverse voices across Ipswich
£9,000 to Ipswich Community Media for engaging young offenders in music and media
What they're saying: "We are thrilled to be supporting such a diverse range of creative and cultural projects through the Culture Project Fund," said Cllr Philip Faircloth-Mutton, Cabinet Member for Environment, Communities and Equality at Suffolk County Council.
"As well as some higher-profile organisations, it's wonderful that lots of smaller projects, which often get overlooked for funding, will also benefit," he added.
The wider impact: Beyond Ipswich, successful projects include:
£18,869 for Furtherfield's youth environmental project in Felixstowe
£9,800 for "Don't Knock the Dock", celebrating Felixstowe dock workers
Woodbridge Tide Mill Museum's virtual tour development
Dunwich Museum's Next Steps project
What's next: Small grants of up to £1,500 are still available for arts organisations and museums across Suffolk.

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