A bid to continue the work of a defunct community arts charity has been launched by a group keen to preserve its legacy.

The Oswestry Arts Association was formed in 1974 to promote and support artists in the Oswestry and district area by issuing grants and bursaries.

With financial support from authorities, including the town council, the charity gave out funding worth more than £130,000 to artistic individuals and groups working locally over 42 years.

At last month’s annual meeting, however, members voted to fold the organisation and relinquish its charitable status because of ‘severe’ cutbacks to its funding.

Former OAA member Pam Johnson is keen for the charity’s work to be continued in a ‘positive and collaborative way’, albeit under a new name.

She said: “There is a feeling that a new collaborative arts group could be formed as a central contact hub for all local arts and culture.

“The new group would focus on collaboration, mutual support and publicity rather than the distribution of funding and would be run by members of local arts groups.”

A residual fund of £2,500 from the OAA remains available and the group has submitted a grant application to seed fund a new association, online forum and networking group.

Councillor Cynthia Hawksley, who represented the town council on the Arts Association, said the committee had spent two years trying to access funds from other sources, but when nobody came forward they felt there was no alternative but to wind up the organisation.

Cllr Hawksley said: “It was with a sorry heart that we came to the conclusion that we did.

“We were all very sad at that AGM that we were voting to cease being, but at that time we were going round and round in circles.”

A decision on how to best use the remaining funds is expected on Thursday.