Steve Hassall, Chief Executive of Salford Community and University of Salford Vice-Chancellor Helen Marshall.

Exciting partnership keeps Salford at its heart

On Tuesday 20th December 2017 Vice-Chancellor Helen Marshall and Steve Hassall, Chief Executive of Salford Community Leisure signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) formalising the growing partnership between both organisations.

Salford Community Leisure (SCL) manages forty venues on behalf of Salford City Council, including Salford Museum and Art Gallery which is at the heart of the University Peel Park campus, Ordsall Hall, and the city’s libraries.

The agreement is made in the wider context of an earlier MOU made between the city, University and Arts Council England; and as work continues on a joint Cultural Strategy for Salford.

This exciting collaboration builds on existing work, such as the recent What’s In Store?  exhibition of the University Art Collection at Salford Museum and Art Gallery. The agreement opens the way for the University and SCL to build on our shared strategic vision and to develop a range of projects and activities aimed at transforming the lives of people in Salford, including local outreach programmes, fundraising and opportunities to share best practice.

Lindsay Taylor, Art Curator and the University’s lead on the project said: I’m thrilled that we now have an official partnership in place with SCL. It is a great opportunity to extend our work with another local organisation and support our Industry Collaboration Zones (ICZ) agenda.

“It will enable us to action our shared ambitions and to work more effectively with other cultural partners such as the Working Class Movement Library and the many artists based in Salford. This is a fantastic opportunity to develop a thriving cultural ecology along the Crescent whilst keeping local people at the heart of everything we do.”

Steve Hassall, Chief Executive of Salford Community Leisure, said “This agreement paves the way for our organisations to do some great work together in enhancing the cultural experience for a range of audiences across the city. I look forward to seeing the results this partnership will bring over the coming months and years.”