Organisations within the city have been awarded just over £6 million as part of the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund to help face the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic and to ensure they have a sustainable future.
The Brighton Centre, Brighton Dome, Royal Pavilion & Museums Trust and Brighton Pride are some of 1,385 cultural and creative organisations across the country receiving urgently needed support.
A total of £257 million of investment has been announced today as part of the very first round of the Culture Recovery Fund grants programme being administered by Arts Council England.
Brighton & Hove is a hotbed of cultural activity and the pandemic has deeply impacted the organisations that make the city what it is.
Known across the country as a capital of culture, the sector provides so many jobs to the people of Brighton & Hove, attracting tourists domestically and from abroad.
The sector has been hit hard by the current crisis. The majority of culture and leisure organisations are relatively small and do not have significant reserves to rely upon. Some have buildings such as theatres and museums which have ongoing fixed costs and all rely on income generation to support their operations.
This cash injection will support these organisations in what are some of the toughest times they have had to face, providing a lifeline by keeping those in work and making up for some of the loss of funds due to not being able to operate at full capacity.
However, some parts of the sector have yet to benefit from a specific package of support and still face many of the same problems they did in May.
In the coming weeks, we urge all organisations that are eligible to apply for further rounds of funding in the cultural and heritage sector when they open.
Councillor Marianna Ebel, joint chair of the Tourism, Equalities, Communities & Culture Committee, said: “I am delighted that cultural institutions and events venues within the city have received this funding from the Culture Recovery Fund.
“Being a city that is synonymous with culture and events, it is clear that this year has been like no other and that these organisations need direct support to keep them going.
“Those within the arts are experiencing a lot of anxiety over their future right now and I hope that this funding goes some way to helping them in their time of need.
“There is more funding to be announced soon by central government so I would also like to urge all other eligible institutions in this city to apply to further rounds of funding when they open.”
