Dear Colleagues,
Announcement of Culture Recovery Fund round 3 Awards
In June, my colleague and predecessor Caroline Dinenage MP wrote to you to announce the details of the third round of the Culture Recovery Fund. This fund has delivered grants and repayable finance to support organisations from across our cherished arts, culture and heritage sectors, to help mitigate the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. A third round of funding, totaling £300 million, was announced by the Chancellor at March’s Budget to support theatres, museums, cinemas and other cultural organisations through the Autumn and Winter. This extra funding, together with other support such as separate additional funding for fifteen national museums and galleries, has meant that our total cash support package for culture during the pandemic is now approaching £2 billion.
Today, I am pleased that my department is announcing the recipients of funding from the following funding streams:
● Emergency Resource Support.
○ This funding was for organisations at risk of ceasing to trade viably within 12 weeks as a result of Covid-19. Funding was primarily for organisations who had not received Culture Recovery Fund support before.
○ So far, Arts Council England have supported 54 organisations and the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic England have supported 3 organisations. Decision making is ongoing until the end of the year.
● Continuity Support
○ Open to thousands of previous Culture Recovery Fund recipients, this fund was established to support organisations in further need of financial support as they returned to normal operation.
○ Arts Council England has supported 819 organisations; the British Film Institute has supported 43 organisations. The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic England have supported 11 organisations to date, with further heritage recipients to be announced in December 2021.
● The Heritage Stimulus Fund
○ The second round of this capital funding programme, delivered by Historic England, was announced earlier in October. This brings the Government’s investment into the scheme to over £80million. The ‘Heritage at Risk’ fund has developed projects at 15 historic sites, and the ‘Grants for Major Projects of Work’ has funded 136 conservation projects across England.
○ As well as preserving some of the most significant historic assets across England for future generations to enjoy visiting, this funding has protected critical jobs in this vulnerable sector. The Arm’s Length Body organisations will also be in touch providing further information to your offices about funding in your constituencies.
We would be delighted if you help show your support for cultural organisations in the following ways:
● Carry out a visit to a local fund beneficiary, and
● Promote how your constituency has benefited on social media, using #HereforCulture to amplify your post. Please see the HereForCulture toolkit for further assets
. If you have any specific questions relating to funding, please email the Culture Recovery Fund Secretariat [email protected] who can help.
