SAVED! £1.57BN LIFELINE FOR BRITAIN’S CULTURE
‘Huge relief’ for our theatres, museums and music venues
BORIS Johnson is throwing the nation’s cultural institutions a £1.57billion lifeline to keep theatres, music venues, museums and galleries afloat.
It was feared establishments including the Royal Albert Hall would go bust while they remain in lockdown.
Big names, including West End impresario Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber, described the announcement as a “huge relief”. He
added: “This news is truly welcome at a time when so many theatres, orchestras, entertainment venues and other arts organisations face such a bleak future.
“It is absolutely critical that Britain’s cultural sector is restored to health as soon as possible.”
The Prime Minister’s payout is a victory for the Daily Express’s Raise The Curtain campaign.
Robin Hawkes, chief executive of Leeds Playhouse – who has been part of the UK Theatre advisory panel – thanked us for highlighting the industry’s plight.
He said: “The Raise The Curtain campaign has been crucial in raising awareness of the desperate problems the industry faces.
“It has made the Government fully aware of the value the public put on their theatres.
“The key now is to get the investment out in time because for many organisations their finances are coming right down to the wire.” Mr Johnson promised that help would be available for all types of arts and culture venues.
He said: “From iconic theatre and musicals, mesmerising exhibitions at our world-class galleries to gigs performed in local basement venues, the UK’s cultural industry is the beating heart of this country.
“This money will help safeguard the sector for future generations, ensuring arts groups and venues across the UK can stay afloat and support their staff whilst their doors remain closed and curtains remain down.”
After last night’s announcement, a theatre industry source said the Daily Express’s campaign had “resonated in the corridors of power”.
He added: “Raise The Curtain managed to grab the attention of key figures within the Government and helped hammer home the message of how important live theatre is to people the length and breadth of Britain.” The extra money will be a huge relief for bosses at venues such as London’s Royal Albert Hall, which had issued a warning it would be out of business by its 150th anniversary next year.
It has reportedly already lost £12million in revenue since it was forced to shut its doors due to the coronavirus shutdown.
The rescue package includes:
● £1.15billion to support cultural organisations in England delivered through £270million of repayable finance and £880million in grants;
● £100million to support national cultural institutions in England and the English Heritage Trust;
● £120million to restart construction on cultural projects in England that were paused for the pandemic;
● An extra £188million for the devolved administrations in Northern Ireland (£33m), Scotland (£97m) and Wales (£59m).
Arts Council England and other specialist organisations such as Historic England, National Lottery Heritage Fund and the British Film Institute will help award the cash.
The English Heritage Trust will also distribute the £100million for national cultural institutions.
Celebrating
Loans will be issued on “generous terms”, Treasury officials said.
However, theatres and music venues still don’t have a date for when they might be able to reopen.
The continued lockdown for venues has also had a devastating impact on the music industry.
International stars, including Sir Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones and Coldplay were among 1,500 artists who signed a letter last week calling for action.
They warned that the industry faces “mass insolvencies” if gigs and festivals were banned for the rest of the year.
Under Mr Johnson’s bailout, the emergency grants and loans will be available to thousands of music
venues. The funding will also help support the army of industry workers who are often freelance and are struggling to make ends meet.
Arts Council England chairman Sir Nicholas Serota said: “I know our amazing artists and creative organisations will repay the faith that the Government has shown by demonstrating the range of their creativity, by serving their communities and by helping the nation recover as we emerge from the pandemic.”
Alex Beard, CEO of the Royal Opera House, said the support package “will be a catalyst for unlocking the extraordinary creativity” at the heart of the UK’s creative industries.
He added: “Over the months ahead we will need to draw all on our collective ingenuity and determination to adapt to the realities of reopening our theatres.
“We now look forward to the future and celebrating the return of our art forms, our community of staff and artists and importantly, welcoming our audiences back to the Royal Opera House.” Playwright James Graham, who wrote the hit ITV drama Quiz, based on the Who Wants to be a Millionaire? coughing scandal, applauded the rescue deal.
He said: “In normal times, we are a profitable and world-beating industry, and we can be again.
“The scale and the ambition of this package is incredibly welcome and I have to say a huge relief to the hundreds of thousands of skilled workers who want to be able to get British culture back up and thriving as soon as it is safe to do so.” Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said Britain’s arts and culture were the “soul of our nation”.
He went on: “They make our country great and are the lynchpin of our world-beating creative industries.
“I understand the grave challenges the arts face and we must protect and preserve all we can for future generations. I said we would not let the arts down, and this massive investment shows our level of commitment.”