Bucks, Beds and Herts receiving over £650,000 for cultural organisations
Institutions are benefiting from the governments 100-million pound fund from their latest culture recovery fund
Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire are receiving over £650,000 in their share of the governments 100-million pound fund for cultural organisations.
Institutions benefiting from the latest Culture Recovery Fund include BEEE Creative CIC, PAR Productions and Towersey Festival.
Hundreds of arts, heritage and cultural organisations across England will receive a share of £107 million from the additional £300 million announced by the Chancellor at March’s budget for the Culture Recovery Fund, bringing the total cash support package made available for culture during the pandemic to close to £2 billion.
The Culture Recovery Fund has already got £1.2 billion out the door to around 5,000 organisations and sites across the country and this latest round of funding is giving a lifeline to regional theatres, local museums, independent cinemas and many more throughout the winter.
From this round of funding, over £100 million will be awarded in continuity support grants to over 870 previous Culture Recovery Fund recipients administered by Arts Council England, British Film Institute, National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic England. Helping organisations survive and allowing them to resume programmes and events, the funding will mean people can have access to and enjoy everything they have to offer.
£6.5 million will be shared by 57 organisations in need of urgent financial support. Grants from this emergency resource support will protect jobs by saving the future of important arts and cultural organisations.
Minister for Arts Lord Parkinson’s said: "most of the funding is going out of London but we are helping people up and down the breadth of the country, and we're really passionate about making sure, that everybody, wherever they're from, has the ability to benefit from the arts, to enjoy it, whether that's just to come and watch or to forge a career."
Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said: “Culture is for everyone and should therefore be accessible to everyone, no matter who they are and where they’re from.
“Through unprecedented government financial support, the Culture Recovery Fund is supporting arts and cultural organisations so they can continue to bring culture to communities the length and breadth of the country, supporting jobs, boosting local economies and inspiring people.”
Theatres across the country will receive over £30 million in vital continuity support so they can keep their doors open and welcome audiences to pantos and plays this Christmas.
To make sure that everyone continues to have access to arts and culture, this funding will support creative, community-driven arts organisations and creative projects, to help nurture and sustain local talent.
Ros Kerslake, Chief Executive, National Lottery Heritage Fund, said:
“This latest round of the Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage has provided much-needed further support for Heritage sites, attractions and organisations as they move forward with their exciting plans to engage, entertain and educate us all. The UK’s heritage has faced unprecedented times, and investing in the Heritage sector remains vitally important to driving tourism, supporting our wellbeing and making our towns, cities, and rural areas better places to live.”
Of the 57 organisations awarded grants from the emergency resource support strand of funding, 44 are being supported with resource grants from the Culture Recovery Fund for the first time, with more applications undergoing assessment over the coming weeks.
Dame Judi Dench, Patron of Omnibus Theatre, said: "Now here is some very good news. Small theatres such as Omnibus are the lifeblood of our industry, and this funding will be vital in continuing their brilliant work."