Folly Digital Media Arts Organisation to close

"Folly, the Lancaster-based digital arts organisation, has announced its decision to close. Founded as the Folly Trust in 1989, Folly has worked successfully in partnership across the North West, collaborating with a wide range of cultural and non-cultural organisations from the UK and beyond.Over more than 20 years, Folly has resented an active artistic programme providing creative interaction and collaboration between artists and the wider

community using technology. Through projects like the Portable Pixel Playground, Digital Artist’s Handbook and Love Culture, Folly has delivered a year round diverse and innovative programme of online projects, events, festival activities, artist commissions, exhibitions, artist residencies, workshops and conferences. Folly has also

been involved in successful partnership projects like the Abandon Normal Devices Festival which continues its journey round the North West this

Autumn. Whilst being extremely proud of the Folly staff team and its achievements, Folly Board of Trustees, in close consultation with stakeholders and supporters including Arts Council England, has taken the reluctant decision that it will not be possible to sustain the operations and work of Folly in the

present financial climate. Folly is grateful for the talent and commitment of its team and for the valuable support and friendship of its sponsors and partner communities. Folly has maintained a close relationship with all in its professional and dignified wind down, that is taking place with immediate effect. Peter Connor, Chair of the Folly Board of Trustees, said: "We are confident that Folly’s legacy, reputation, impact and thinking will live

on. Folly’s Board of Trustees, CEO Taylor Nuttall and his staff team are now bringing Folly’s operation to a close in a dignified manner. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our Staff, Funders, Partners, Artists, and Participants who have been key to the success and achievements of Folly’s artistic programme in Lancashire, Cumbria and across the North West. We hope that the legacy from Folly will remain within the Arts and Higher

Education sectors and continue in reinforcing the strong landscape of digital media arts in the North West and the UK." Further information about Folly can be found at www.folly.co.uk.

Editor's notes

1. Folly, the leading digital media arts organisation based in Lancaster, that

has since 1989 delivered socially engaged programmes of artistic work across

Lancashire and Cumbria will be closing and dissolving its charitable status

from the end of August 2011.

2. Folly (www.folly.co.uk) was a leading digital arts agency, based in

Lancaster, that worked across England’s North West. Folly's aim was to lead,

promote, maintain, improve and advance the field of cultural activities that

embrace the creative interaction between arts and technology, by presenting

an artistic programme that provides collaboration between artists and the

wider public

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