A forum has been launched in Letchworth to provide opportunities for arts groups to share news, ambitions and ideas.

Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation governors chaired a meeting earlier this month to introduce the forum which hopes to help arts groups and individuals develop programmes that complement each other and ‘further add to a very active cultural scene within the town’.

The forum comes in the wake of the Foundation’s plans to open a new theatre space at The Broadway Cinema in October of next year, and to refurbish the gallery and cafe at the Letchworth Arts Centre later in the year.

There will also be a box office installed in one of the vacant shops in Eastcheap, while after the success of the Herts at War exhibition, the Foundation wants to have a permanent community museum in The Arcade.

Those attending the meeting at Foundation House included representatives from North Hertfordshire District Council, The Letchworth Settlement, Letchworth Film Club, Garden City Studio, Letchworth Arcadians, Da Vinci School of Creative Enterprise, Letchworth Music Club, SPADS, Letchworth Arts Society, the Philharmonia Orchestra and St Francis’ College.

Forum chairman Arthur Jarman, who is the governor for arts and culture at the Foundation, said: “Letchworth is rich in the arts; as an enabling organisation the forum will promote and celebrate the many diverse cultural activities offered within the garden city.”

The work of the broader forum will be guided by a steering group which will be representative of the various groups and activities involved.

Following the meeting, the group is trailing a provisional calendar of events to help with programming.

The forum is open to all those offering arts activities in the town – if you would like to be involved in the future please email response@letchworth.com.