Author: Andrew Knutt

Everywhere At Once powered by The National Lottery takes place from 26–28 June and brings together 1000+ gigs, 400+ venues over one weekend, making it the UK’s biggest music festival on your doorstep. The campaign is designed to celebrate grassroots music venues and bring audiences closer to live music in the places that matter most locally. Its core message is simple: this is a different kind of festival. Closer to the music. Where local matters. Where everyone belongs. Other partners include Music Venue Trust, Liveline, Save Our Scene, Association of Independent Promoters, War Child, Nordoff & Robbins, Help Musicians and…

Are you a retired musician or retired from another profession but play and create music? Would you like to continue to perform your music to an audience? If so, then why not sign up to our Retired Musicians Performance Club, where you’ll get the opportunity to flex your creative music playing muscles and share your talents with our audiences. What’s It All About We’ve delivered over 2,500 gigs here at CICCIC in Taunton, and some of the best music we have experienced are from those who are well seasoned in the music making and playing business. Many with decades of…

The team at Creative Innovation Centre (CIC) is delighted to announce that it has been recognised as a winner in the 2025 Southern Enterprise Awards 2025, organised by SME News. CICCIC was awarded the title Outstanding Community Arts & Cultural Development Organisation 2025 – South West. SME News+1 This accolade honours CIC’s exceptional contribution to creative innovation, community engagement and cultural development within the South West region. Through a vibrant programme of workshops, events and collaborative projects, CICCIC has established itself as a vital hub for artists, community groups and creative enterprises. “We are incredibly proud to receive this award,”…

CICCIC, a Taunton-based community arts and culture hub has received a much-needed upgrade thanks to funding from The National Lottery Awards for All programme. The Creative Innovation Centre CIC (CICCIC), which runs two key community venues in the town, has been awarded £8,364 to purchase new, accessible seating and café tables. The funding comes at a crucial time, with existing furniture more than a decade old and no longer fit for purpose. For years, attendees, particularly elderly and disabled members of the community, have highlighted the discomfort and instability of the existing chairs. With increasing demand for inclusive, welcoming spaces,…

At CICCIC, we’re proud to run not just one, but two buzzing venues dedicated to the arts and community engagement. One of these is our Arts Hub—a place where creativity meets connection, and where something exciting is always happening! If you haven’t explored what goes on at the Arts Hub each week, now’s the perfect time to take a look—and maybe even join in. Wellbeing Wednesdays – Art for the SoulNeed a break from the daily hustle? Wellbeing Wednesdays offer the perfect opportunity to slow down, breathe, and simply be. Starting June 2025, our friends at GoCreate will be hosting…

Ever wanted to attend a music event but you’re not sure if you would like it? Want to expand your music tastes and experience high quality musicianship, but unsure if you would pay the full ticket price? If so, then why not join CICCIC’s New Music Club. Our New Music Club has been set up so you can get access to live music events at half the cost and even free, but there are a few caveats that you need to be aware of. Here’s how it works: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS LIMITED TIME OFFER FOR NEW MEMBERS SIGNING UP As…

Join Our Ten-Week Workshop Series for 13-17-year-olds! Are you ready to jump back into another 10 weeks of creative, fun, and engaging workshops? Designed to inspire and entertain, we’ve got a fantastic set of activities each week at the Arts Hub!Here’s what we have in store for the coming weeks: Games Nights: Sharpen your strategy with an assortment of board games. Drumming: Catch the beat and feel the rhythm. Art: Paint, sketch, and create your masterpieces. Drama: Bring characters to life and express your theatrical side. DJ-ing: Spin tracks and mix your way to DJ stardom. Location: Arts Hub, Flook House, Belvedere Road, Taunton, TA1 1BT Thursdays…

You may be aware that in May we launched a campaign about CICCIC’s Future at Risk, which was due to funding issues that go back to lockdown during COVID and the rise in utilities and cost of living. Many of you made contributions by means of cash, time, and sending letters to the local council, which has helped considerably. In June we were invited to apply for funding from Taunton Town Council and pleased to inform you that Taunton Town Council granted us funding, which means that our future is no longer at risk. We do, however, still need to…

Creative Innovation Centre CIC is proud to announce that it has won the 2024 Non-Profit Organisation Awards for Most Dedicated Creative Sector Support CIC 2024 – South West England’ award for its hard work in supporting and developing the arts and culture sector. The International Acquisition award programme prides itself on the validity of its awards and winners. The awards are given solely on merit and are awarded to commend those most deserving for their ingenuity and hard work, distinguishing them from their competitors and proving them worthy of recognition. “As well as supporting all forms of creative practice within…

As part of our future at risk and fundraising campaign, we held a public meeting in June 2024, where 100 people attended so they could learn more about our circumstance and help generate ideas moving forward. At the event we had an ‘ideas and comment’ form that attendees could fill in, and we were humbled and heart warmed by some of the amazing comments. Though we had so many ideas from the public, it was the comments on what CICCIC meant to individuals and its impact on their life, social mobility, and wellbeing. Plus, what it meant to Taunton, or…