Dippy puts town in line for double award bid
THE local council has been nominated for a national arts award for the visit of Dippy of Dinosaur to the town.
In recognition for bringing the skeleton of Dippy the Diplodocus to Rochdale, the local council have been shortlisted in the Best
Arts Project category in the awards run by the National Campaign for the Arts.
Dippy the Dinosaur was on display in Number One Riverside and Touchstones for most of last year, as part of a national tour from the Natural History Museum.
The Hearts for the Arts awards celebrate unsung heroes of Local Authorities who are championing the arts against all odds.
Rochdale councillor and cabinet member for a safer and more inclusive community Janet Emsley has also been nominated in the Best Arts Champion – Councillor category.
She said: “I’m delighted that this wonderful project has been shortlisted for an award and I’m honoured and humbled to have been recognised personally.
“Dippy is one of the biggest cultural projects we’ve ever undertaken.
“Many different people came together to make this a huge moment for our borough, which ultimately attracted almost 170,000 visitors across both our Dippy venues, inspired thousands of schoolchildren and brought together an army of volunteers.
“Dippy has proved that we can deliver cultural projects on a massive scale and we’re already looking at what we can do next. Arts and culture are incredibly important and we will always champion them here in Rochdale.” Winners of the Hearts for the Arts Awards 2021 will be announced on Valentine’s Day, February 14.
Other nominees in the Best Arts Project category include Barnsley Museum’s: Families in Lockdown, Flintshire Council’s summer hubs and Derbyshire County Council’s Necklace of Stars.
The judging panel includes actor Samuel West, drag artiste Le Gateau Chocloat and Paul Hartnoll, member of electronic music duo Orbital.
Discussing Rochdale’s nomination, the Hearts for the Arts Award partners said: “Bringing Dippy to Rochdale required an ambitious and focused collaboration between organisations; the project is rightly a source of great pride.
“Dippy both celebrates the local area, involving diverse groups and individuals in the project, and also educates about science and climate change.
“The team dealt well with the challenges posed by a national lockdown. We hope that Rochdale sees more arts projects in the future.”
Discussing Cllr Emsley’s nomination, the panel said: “Wow – what an amazing force for culture Cllr Emsley is!
“From face-to-face intervention to online promotion, the arts are always central to her objectives.
“She’s inspirational and helps to support so many people on so many levels. Lucky Rochdale!
“Here’s hoping 2021 brings even further success for her endeavours, further promoting her excellent work within Rochdale Borough Council’s local communities.”