Darlington for Culture and Darlington Hippodrome launch an exciting new venture to support and promote arts and culture in the town.

With the restoration work at Darlington Civic Theatre moving towards the final stages a new volunteering partnership has been forged between the regionally renowned Theatre and the award-winning community arts organisation, Darlington for Culture, to help support and promote the arts and culture within the town.

The vision for Darlington Culture Volunteers (DCV) is to be a hub for cultural volunteering in and around Darlington, building a community of people who have a vested interest in the future of the arts in the town. Building on the success of the Darlington for Culture Volunteer Service the group will support arts, music and cultural events encouraging the public to join in the activities, keeping the public informed and recording their views on the events.

Members who join Darlington Culture Volunteers will learn new skills and be offered the chance to meet new people, make new friends and give back to the local community through a wide range of new and exciting projects. Volunteers will have the chance to engage with Darlington Hippodrome’s heritage and help audiences connect with its rich history.

Heather Carter, volunteer co-ordinator for Darlington for Culture said: “I am truly excited about this new venture between ourselves and Darlington Hippodrome. Our current valuable volunteers will transfer to the new service and we are looking for new volunteers who can offer as little or as much time as they have available, from a long-term, regular commitment to those who can help as and when. Primarily we are looking for enthusiastic people interested in supporting the arts in and around Darlington.”

Lynda Winstanley, Director of Darlington Civic Theatre said: “Darlington Culture Volunteers has evolved from the close relationship the Theatre has formed with Darlington for Culture. We are very much looking forward to launching this new venture together and to welcoming lots of new volunteers into the partnership.”

Darlington Culture Volunteers will be launched at the Darlington Volunteering Fair on Thursday 2 February at Central Hall in the Dolphin Centre from 2.00pm. For more information about the scheme you can visit either www.darlingtonforculture.org or www.darlingtoncivic.co.uk, call 07775 996098 or email volunteerdarlingtonforculture@gmail.com