Lifeline grants for ‘cultural beacons’
NINETEEN theatres, galleries, performance groups, arts organisations, museums and venues have received a “vital boost” from government funding.
Awarded through its £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund, “cultural beacons” in the county such as Attenborough Arts Centre, Curve, Pinders Circus, Rutland County Museum, Athena and the Theatre Tent Company have been granted a share of £257 million.
This £3,359,870 investment for the city and county will help those venues facing the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic, to ensure they have a sustainable future and continue to bring joy to local communities and international audiences.
This was the first round of funding awarded with millions more to be announced in coming weeks.
It is the biggest tranche distributed to date from the Culture Recovery Fund, and the first in a series of announcements on the funding programmes administered by Arts Council England.
Applicants for grants of over £1 million, as well as those who applied to round two of the fund and the Repayable Finance programme, will be notified of their outcomes shortly.
Peter Knott, area director, Arts Council England, said: “We’re delighted the Culture Recovery Fund has enabled support for a wide range of arts and cultural sector companies across Leicester/ shire.
“Well-loved community projects, theatres, galleries, museums, clubs, music venues, festivals, key cultural suppliers along with other creative spaces and projects have benefited. This is welcome news not only for those in receipt of the funding but also for communities in villages, towns and cities across the Midlands where this matters so much.
“We know that creativity, arts and culture benefit us in so many ways, having a positive impact on our wellbeing, bringing us together and making a significant contribution to the local and national economy – today’s announcements gives us a chance to continue that and contribute to the national recovery, post-Covid.”
Attenborough Arts Centre has been granted £167,400, Curve has received £950,000, Pinders Circus has been given a £50,000 lift while Rutland County Museum has been given £132,100.
Chris Stafford, chief executive of Curve, and Nikolai Foster, its artistic director, said: “We will shortly announce our reopening plans, and although socially distanced performances are not sustainable in the long-term, our theatre plays a vital role in the life of our city and our local economy.
“This investment will enable us to bring our building – and Leicester’s Cultural Quarter – back to life.”
The funding will help Pinders Circus, a touring non-animal circus company, including jugglers, laser shows, trapeze, clowning and acrobatics, to develop socially distanced circus performances.
Rutland County Museum’s grant will help the museum and Oakham Castle, two significant heritage sites in Rutland, to continue operating, moving from a gradual reopening to a relaunch in April 2021.
The sites are the main visitor attractions for Oakham and the main venues for events, festivals, exhibitions and weddings, hosting the Local Records Society, Arts for Rutland and Friends of Rutland County Museum and Oakham Castle organisations.
The museum is also the only site in the town that provides visitor information facilities.
Theatre Tent Company’s grant of £228,474 will be used to “keep the lights on” for the rest of 2020 with core staff focusing on ongoing discussions with producers and promoters to ensure that the productions planned for 2021 onwards are viable and practical regardless of regulations put in place.
Hira Ram, Athena’s events manager, was delighted at news of their lifeline funding.
She said: “This is fantastic news for many organisations all over the country, including ours.
“We have had a very anxious six months with all of our events cancelled or postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“While there are many challenges ahead, we are delighted Athena has been recognised as a valuable contributor to the local and national economy.
“And to have been given an opportunity to continue to maintain our iconic grade II-listed venue as a viable business for the local community here in the heart of Leicester’s Cultural Quarter.
“This funding will support us as an organisation to adapt for future events including implementing vigorous Covid-19 measures and providing a platform for the continuation of events and performances.”