Alara Community Arts CIC

Alara’s progress: from plans to community opportunity

Current status · 20 October 2026. Our first community programmes are in preparation. Kirkby Creative Connections is funded by Livv Housing Group, with public dates still to be confirmed. Wider arts programmes and the proposed Pathway to Work remain in development.

Nine Market Square remains a prospective venue. Legal arrangements, permissions, access, safety, funding and fit-out requirements must be resolved before opening. Read the venue concept and current status. No opening date is confirmed.

The milestones below are a historical record. A submitted application is not an award, an award is not evidence of completed delivery, and a positive conversation is not an agreed partnership. See our impact and evidence for the distinction between the CIC’s progress and the team’s commercial experience.

Development milestones

  • January 2026

    ✅ Alara Community Arts CIC incorporated.

  • February – April 2026

    ✅ Governance structure established.
    ✅ Business planning and community research developed.
    ✅ Vision, objectives and proposed community outcomes refined.

  • May 2026

    ✅ Strategic Business Case completed.
    ✅ Business Plan and Executive Summary produced.
    ✅ Governance Handbook developed.
    ✅ Core safeguarding, data protection, equality and safety policies completed.

  • June 2026

    ✅ Initial discussions with Knowsley Council.
    ✅ 9 Market Square identified as a prospective creative-community venue.
    ✅ Floor plans obtained and early feasibility work begun.
    ✅ Funding research and programme planning expanded.

  • Early July 2026

    ✅ Supportive conversations held with local representatives and community contacts.
    ✅ Introductions and potential partnership routes opened.
    ✅ Heads of Terms discussions for 9 Market Square began.

  • Mid July 2026

    ✅ Meeting held with Kirkby Community Builders Chris Kiernan and Lesley Barnabas.
    ✅ First community and grant applications progressed.
    ✅ Funding pipeline, stakeholder register and project-management systems established.

  • Late July 2026

    ✅ Proposed Heads of Terms accepted in principle, subject to Council approval and legal documentation.
    ✅ Community capital and programme funding applications submitted.
    ✅ Local partner and founding-partner outreach expanded.

  • Early August 2026

    ✅ Access route for the prospective venue confirmed.
    ✅ Preliminary fit-out planning and budget work advanced.
    ✅ A workforce-development application passed initial verification and moved to assessment.

  • Mid August 2026

    ✅ National Lottery Awards for All application submitted for Kirkby Creates Together, requesting £20,000.
    ✅ Arts Council applicant profile and artist-residency project established.
    ✅ Positive partnership meeting held with Tritax; the relationship remains warm while its funding approach is under review.
    ✅ Community and founding-partner outreach continued across Knowsley.

  • Late August 2026

    ✅ £6,000 Livv in Your Community grant awarded for Kirkby Creative Connections.
    ✅ £1,590 awarded through the Knowsley Youth Workforce Development Fund.
    ✅ Programme planning, monitoring requirements and local referral routes developed.

  • Early September 2026

    ✅ Livv grant agreement completed for a 16-session Kirkby Creative Connections programme.
    ✅ £29,500 Arts Council England National Lottery Project Grants application submitted for Kirkby Creative Studio: Artist Residencies.
    ✅ Detailed facilitator programme completed, with plans to engage 40 Kirkby residents and work with local partners.
    ✅ Council finance and development approvals completed for 9 Market Square; director sign-off remained pending at that stage.
    ✅ Commercial property solicitor identified to support the lease review.

  • Mid September 2026

    ✅ Livv Housing representatives visited the prospective 9 Market Square venue to review the space, Alara’s plans and potential fit-out needs.
    ✅ Practical discussions continued around possible in-kind, financial or combined support, subject to Livv’s internal review and confirmation.
    ✅ Planning continued for communications that could document the venue journey from its early condition through fit-out and future community use.

  • What happens next

    🟡 Complete the remaining property and legal arrangements for 9 Market Square.
    🟡 Complete the site assessment and detailed fit-out planning with prospective partners.
    🟡 Confirm grant payments, final programme dates, venue readiness and referral arrangements.
    🟡 Await funding decisions and respond promptly to any evidence or due-diligence requests.
    🟡 Prepare registration, consent, attendance and outcome-monitoring systems for programme delivery.

  • Opening ambition

    🎭 Alara intends to open the Kirkby space in phases once legal, funding, safety and fit-out milestones are complete.
    📅 A confirmed opening date will be published when these dependencies are secure.