City groups share £1.1m from Culture Recovery Fund

Six Peterborugh arts organisations benefitted to the tune of more than £1.1million when the first round of Culture Recovery Fund grants were announced on Monday.

Leading the way was the New Theatre, where the man in charge, Theatre Director Richie Ross welcomed its award of £639,277 from the government fund, saying it will help secure what was looking like an unsettled future at the venue.

Richie said: “Today’s news could not be more welcome.

“Without this grant the future was looking unsettled for us at the New Theatre but this funding will allow us to keep our doors open, keep our team in work and to continue to support arts and culture in the city.”

The running of the theatre, on Broadway, was taken over in September last year by Selladoor which staged a hit-show packed autumn/ winter programme. Then lockdown came. Richie added: “In the first six months of our opening the New Theatre went from strength to strength, and on the back of this news our team will be working together to continue to build on this momentum following a difficult year with bigger and better shows and experiences for the people of Peterborough in 2021 and securing the future of the New Theatre in the community.”

David Hutchinson, CEO of Selladoor, added: “We are delighted and very grateful to receive support from the Government’s Cultural Recovery Fund. The last seven months have been nothing short of devastating, both for our company and our industry as a whole. We have lost eight productions, as well as many of our team members, as we have tried to sustain a business with zero income.

“This financial lifeline allows us time to reimagine and restructure the business, so that we can be ready and able to help bring our sector back to life post Covid-19.

“There is a long way to go, but this grant gives our company a fighting chance of recovery. In turn, we fully intend to do everything that we can to support our venue partners, fellow organisations and all of fantastic professionals who work in our industry, so that can all move forward in our joint journey towards getting the arts back in business.”

The New Theatre was one of six to Peterborough organisations totalling £1.1million. The Key Theatre, which has just switched from Vivacity to city council control, is expecting to benefit in the second phase of grant awards.

The Cresset in Peterborough was awarded £242,286.

The Bretton venue has been staging live events in Peterborough for over 40 years, and has played host to hundreds of acts. Over 60,000 people attended live events last year, with 80% of audiences coming from within the Peterborough postcode area.

Since March over 100 performances and events have been cancelled or rescheduled. While the venue has announced some socially distanced performances in recent weeks - including a specially adapted pantomime- the reduced capacity has a huge financial impact.

Head of Commercial Activities at The Cresset Penny Hansen said: “This funding will make an enormous difference to us. It allows us to continue to run events, to retain our wonderful staff and to work with freelancers and suppliers in the area.

“We are committed to continuing to provide events and entertainment to our audiences in a safe and sustainable way and this is a real lifeline to ensure we can afford to do this and be here for the months and years to come. We’re incredibly grateful to DCMS and Arts Council England for their support.”

Meanwhile, Peterborough Sings! has been awarded £50,000.

Founded in 2011, Peterborough Sings! is a music education charity which supports two award winning non-auditioned adult choirs, Peterborough Male Voice Choir and Peterborough Voices, as well as Peterborough Community Chorus and Peterborough Youth Choir, which provides free-to-all singing tuition to children aged seven plus.

The charity also runs an extensive programme of outreach work to promote singing in the local community, including the Peterborough Schools’ Singing Strategy, the Peterborough Boys’ Voices Project and charity fundraising projects Sing for Life and Men United in Song.

William Prideaux, director of Peterborough Sings! said: “We’re delighted that Peterborough Sings! has been recognised as a key organisation in the cultural life of the city and with today’s award from the Culture Recovery Fund which will help us to shape the music education opportunities we are able to provide in Peterborough.

“At a time when many people are facing challenges in many areas of their lives and with culture and the arts hard hit by the pandemic it is more important than ever that ever that we continue to actively engage with as wide a cross-section of our local community as possible and to provide them with high-quality cultural experiences.”

Other city based recipients were Pop Up Projects CIC, which was awarded £85,500 and Rocket Park Studios Limited £58,359. As previously reported live music venue The Met Lounge received £63,186.

Paul Bristow MP, Member of Parliament for Peterborough said: “Our City has been given over £1.1 million to fund our excellent theatres and live music venues, along with performing arts groups’ and choirs. These organisations are all part of Peterborough’s thriving cultural scene!

“Together with many who work in the arts and in culture, I have made the case for Peterborough. The Government and the Arts Council have listened.

“I am so proud of this support which will ensure Peterborough moves forward as a cultural hotspot not just for the region but for the whole country.”

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “This funding is a vital boost for the theatres, music venues, museums and cultural organisations that form the soul of our nation. It will protect these special places, save jobs and help the culture sector’s recovery.

“These places and projects are cultural beacons the length and breadth of the country. This unprecedented investment in the arts is proof this government is here for culture, with further support to come in the days and weeks ahead so that the culture sector can bounce back strongly.”

Chair, Arts Council England, Sir Nicholas Serota, said: “Theatres, museums, galleries, dance companies and music venues bring joy to people and life to our cities, towns and villages. This life-changing funding will save thousands of cultural spaces loved by local communities and international audiences. Further funding is still to be announced and we are working hard to support our sector during these challenging times.”