AN arts group is celebrating its tenth year in south Essex.

Metal arrived in Chalkwell Park, in Westcliff, in 2007 - taking up residence in Chalkwell Hall, a notable but neglected building in the middle of the park. At the time it was used by park keepers to store their equipment.

In its first year, Metal attracted 660 adults and children to take part in its various activities and 2,500 turned up to live events.

Ten years on, those figures have risen to 7,299 and 131,179 respectively for 2016/17. Over its first ten years, the group engaged with almost 72,000 people and welcomed just under 2.5million visitors to its live events - including the popular arts and music festival Village Green.

The group has received Arts Council funding to deliver a range of activities and has just applied for its next round of money - this time for four years.

While the group is well known for its flagship festival in the park, it has launched a wide range of arts activities in the borough and beyond.

It currently has 60 “artists in residence” in Chalkwell Hall, offering free funding to artists to create projects involving Southend.

It hosts Future Park meetings - free seminars giving local artists a chance to network and share ideas.

The group also runs Culture Labs, free week-long residential workshops for ten local and national artists.

Each year the Village Green: Next Generation event takes place a day ahead of the main festival. It attracts 4,000 children from local schools who participate in free arts workshops throughout the day. Village Beach in Thurrock is also proving a popular attraction.

Less well-known Metal activities include arts awards courses for young people. A total of 60 youngsters have gained certificates accredited by Trinity College London.

The group works with 43 schools in Southend, delivering workshops on specific subjects - including Thames to Tama in 2011, which saw 4,665 children from 25 schools working together on an art installation in Shoebury.

Six other such projects include a poetry competition for the Shorelines Literature Festival and Anthem 2012, where a choir performed a piece of music for the Olympic Torch on City Beach.

Every two years Metal organises the Shorelines Literature Festival of the Sea with writers, authors, theatre, story-telling, film and visual art themed around the sea over three days.

Colette Bailey, Metal chief executive, said: “We have loved working with the artists and communities of Southend over the last ten years. In that same ten years our live audience figures attending events add up to over 2.5million. I would really like to take the opportunity to thank all those who have taken part and supported events and activities over the years – in particular our amazing band of volunteers. “