Culture Recovery Fund

The Culture Recovery Fund is a grants programme issued by the UK Government as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The fund aims to financially support cultural organisations in England (such as theatres, museums, and music venues) which had become financially unviable as a result of national and local restrictions. It is administered by Arts Council England.[1]

Foundation and management

The fund was initially announced by the Chancellor Rishi Sunak in July 2020 as a "one-off investment in UK culture".[2] Sunak announced that the fund would be valued at £1.57 billion. Damon Buffini was announced as the chair of the Culture Recovery Board, the body tasked with managing the fund.[3]

Culture Recovery Board

The culture recovery fund is administered by the Culture Recovery Board, which comprises 11 members appointed by the DCMS.[4] They are:

Grants issued

The first 135 venues to receive money from the fund were announced on 22 August 2020. This first phase included only grassroots music venues such as Birmingham's Sunflower Lounge, Brighton's Green Door Store and Manchester's Gorilla.[5]

A large group of beneficiaries of the grants was announced on 12 October 2020. This phase totalled £257 million divided between 1,385 venues.[6] A further announcement was made on 17 October 2020 of an additional £76 million between a further 588 organisations.[7] The beneficiaries of this phase of the grants includes the Military Wives Choir, Somerset House, and the Puppet Theatre Barge.[8]

The second round of large grants was issued on 2 April 2021. It distributed £262 million to 2,272 venues.[9] The Department for Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS) also announced it was funding £82 million of loans to cultural landmarks and institutions.[10]

Another phase occurred in October 2021, with 142 sites receiving a share of a £35 million injection into the fund.[11]

References
  1. "Culture Recovery Fund: Grants". Arts Council England. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  2. "UK Government Reveals £1.57 Billion Arts Support Package". The Quietus. 6 July 2020.
  3. "Dowden: 'Jump-start' for UK's leading creative industries". GOV.UK.
  4. "FAQs: About the programme. Who sits on the Culture Recovery Board?". Arts Council England. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  5. "Government announce first 135 music venues to receive emergency grants". NME. 22 August 2020.
  6. Lucy Thraves (12 October 2020). "Arts organisations receive £257 million in grants from Culture Recovery Fund". Classical Music.
  7. "588 more arts organisations saved by £76 million in latest Culture Recovery Fund grants". Gov.uk. 17 October 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  8. Lizzie Edmonds (17 October 2020). "Latest round of £1.57 billion Cultural Recovery Fund beneficiaries include Military Wives Choir". Evening Standard.
  9. "£262m awarded for second round of Culture Recovery Fund". Arts Professional. 1 April 2021. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  10. "£400 million to help more than 2,700 arts, culture, heritage organisations and independent cinemas survive and thrive". Gov.uk. 2 April 2021. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  11. "Heritage and Craft Workers Across England Given a Helping Hand" – Historic England, 22 October 2021
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