Reaction to Culture Recovery Fund Results
02.10.2020.ACE Culture Recovery Fund Results a ‘Substantial Lifeline’
The first round of results has drawn positive feedback from across the live music sector
Some of the UK’s most iconic music venues, renowned independent festivals, and key music organisations are among the first-round recipients of the government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund, designed to support arts organisations during the pandemic.
Music was the most awarded arts sector during the first CRF round, which distributed £257million to 1,385 organisations. Successful applicants from the live music business include DHP Family, Bush Hall in West London, and SSD Music, the promoter behind Newcastle’s Virgin Money Unity Arena.
Some of the UK’s most iconic venues also received funding, including the 100 Club in London and The Cavern Club in Liverpool. Meanwhile festivals to receive grants include Y-Not Festival, Deer Shed Festival, Cropredy Festival, End of the Road Festival, Love Supreme Festival and Slam Dunk.
With a near 80% success rate for the 340 LIVE association members who applied, the body has welcomed the results.
Greg Parmley, LIVE’s CEO said: “Today’s announcement throws a substantial lifeline to many organisations across the commercial live music sector, which has never needed government support before. This huge cash injection is so welcome at this time and DCMS, Arts Council England and the Treasury should be applauded for it. We look forward to continuing to work closely with colleagues at DCMS in the coming weeks and months to ensure the UK live music sector is able to regain its place at the forefront of the world”.
Music Venue Trust wrote: “Since March, MVT has been working closely with colleagues at the Department Of Digital, Culture, Media And Sport and Arts Council England to ensure that the needs of grassroots music venues across England, and the potential threat this crisis presents to them, were fully understood. The work of DCMS and ACE in creating and delivering this fund has been extraordinary. We want to recognise the efforts of the government, particularly the Secretary Of State and the Chancellor, to understand what was required by grassroots music venues, develop a solution, and make it happen”.
“Saving our grassroots venue sector requires a massive jigsaw puzzle of efforts, from the smallest local fundraiser by a community desperate to keep its cherished local venue, to the enormous scope of the government’s Culture Recovery Fund, one of the largest such funds in the world. MVT, through the hard work, passion and dedication of our regional coordinators, has worked closely with our grassroots music venue community to ensure a clear and coordinated approach to this crisis. We are proud of the resilience, strength and solidarity shown by everyone involved”.
“This intervention today helps enormously, giving MVT, our sector and our communities, an achievable opportunity to complete the English section of the jigsaw. We keenly await results from funding applications in Wales, and of round two of this fund. Our work with the governments of Scotland and Northern Ireland will continue to seek further support for venues there”.”Our immediate focus now will be to work with every venue that was ineligible for funding, and any venue that was unsuccessful in their application to this fund, to ensure that at the end of this crisis communities right across the country have a thriving and healthy live music scene to return to. Our continued mission remains to reopen every venue safely, an aim that with this support from the government we are confident is now achievable”.
Paul Reed, CEO of Association Of Independent Festivals added: “We warmly welcome this intervention from government and the results of the first round of the Culture Recovery Fund. 71% of AIF members who applied for a CRF grant in round one have been offered funding and it’s nothing short of a lifeline for those who have been successful. We thank DCMS and Arts Council England for this support, which amounts to almost £4.5m into the independent festival sector across our membership”.
“This will have a hugely positive impact on the survival of these businesses. We are pleased that we were able to work positively with DCMS officials to ensure that festival organisers were eligible for the fund and they should be praised for their diligence in supporting the sector. We’re also aware that not all independent festivals had good news today and not all received funding. We’ll continue to support, represent and fight for our membership throughout this crisis”.
Andy Lenthall, GM of the PSA said: “We’re pleasantly surprised at the number of successful applications and immensely grateful that these technical suppliers to our cultural sectors have been recognised and saved. With investment being welcomed throughout the live performance ecosystem, we believe that the Culture Recovery Fund will provide opportunities across the workforce. Today is a big step towards providing the support needed for the hidden jewels in our cultural crown.”
