BLACKBURN with Darwen has the lowest ‘arts engagement’ in the country.

According to an Active Lives survey by IPSOS Mori and the Arts Council England (ACE), Blackburn with Darwen achieved just 44 per cent for arts engagement compared with other places in England.

The gap between the lowest and nine other lowest arts engagement areas differs greatly, with Pendle coming fifth lowest with 55.7 per cent.

Arts engagement means people doing creative, artistic, theatrical, musical things or attending events. It also includes photography, painting, sculpting, digital or electric art, crafts and literature.

Five hundred people aged over 14 from 326 local authorities were asked.

Respondents were asked whether they had undertaken each activity in the last 12 months and how frequently.

Survey results will help inform policy-making and investment decisions.

ACE chair Sir Nicholas Serota announced £37million will be invested between 2018-2022 in low art engagement areas.

ACE already invests in Blackburn with Darwen with the Creative People and Places programme.

The programme in Lancashire, called Super Slow Way, will receive £100,000,000 funding for 2018-21.

North director for ACE Jane Beardsworth said: “To increase the reach of our investment and to ensure as many people as possible have access to arts and culture will remain a focus for us as we develop our strategy for the next 10 years.”

Cllr Damian Talbot, executive member for leisure and culture on the council. thinks the results are not fair on Blackburn with Darwen as they do not represent more than 500 people.

He said: “These numbers from the Arts Council look disappointing, but I do think the sample survey size was quite small and does not give the whole picture.

“Blackburn with Darwen is making massive strides in our arts and culture, not just in our big, one-off festivals and projects, but also in day-to-day events.

"We have so many open, inclusive activities available.

"Blackburn Museum alone had 31,000 visitors last year.”