£400 million has been donated to historic music venues across the UK, as part of the latest round of the government’s Cultural Recovery Fund. The fund aims to help struggling venues across the UK keep there doors open, after the massive economic hits that have occurred due to the ongoing global pandemic. The recent round of funding makes the total donations invested to date reach up to £1 billion.
Of the list of venues, many are in London based, with venues such as The Royal Albert Hall, Alexandra Palace, the Southbank Centre, the English National Opera, the Royal Shakespeare Company, and the National Theatre receiving a collected £165million in low-interest repayable finance. However, many Northern venues have also received funding, with venues such as The Factory in Manchester receiving £21 million, Nottingham’s Broadway receiving £144,000, and the Turner Contemporary in Margate receiving £264,000.
UK culture minister, Oliver Dowden spoke positively about the donations, stating that this portion of funding was withheld initially to help health officials assess “changing public health picture. This government promised it would be here for culture, and today’s announcement is proof we’ve kept our word.” Dowden said in a statement.
“The £1 billion invested so far through the Culture Recovery Fund has protected tens of thousands of jobs at cultural organisations across the UK, with more support still to come through a second round of applications. Today we’re extending a huge helping hand to the crown jewels of UK culture, so that they can continue to inspire future generations all around the world.”
