Skip to main content

Cultural Recovery Fund - essential support making a difference

“Arts and Culture in Wales must survive this pandemic” says Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism.

Welsh Government’s Cultural Recovery Fund is providing essential support to theatres, music venues, heritage sites, libraries, museums, galleries, archive services and independent cinemas, right across Wales - which have all experienced a dramatic loss of revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

To date more than £30 million has been distributed through the Welsh Government’s Cultural Recovery Fund, with the Arts Council of Wales allocating a £20 million package for the sector in October.

Welsh Government launched the first Freelancer Fund in the UK, deciding to include freelancers as a key part of the Cultural Recovery Fund recognising the essential role they play in the economy and in creating and delivering cultural experiences. It has so far supported 2,800 freelancers with £7 million, new applications through phase 3 will be approved soon.

The Freelancer Fund has supported a wide range of freelancers in the creative sector. Eifion Porter, a craftsman supporting set designers, visual artists, cultural and heritage venues from Swansea said:

I have been working within the cultural sector for the last 10 years and collaborate with visual artists and theatre companies, as well as supporting museums and community organisations by designing and creating bespoke displays for interactive exhibitions. Since lockdown all of my projects immediately stopped, and I have not had any income since. The support of the Freelancer Grant has been a lifeline during a very uncertain time, and I’m grateful that the Welsh Government has considered the different types of creative freelancers during this pandemic.

The Cultural Recovery Fund has given many an opportunity to plan ahead and look to the future. Henry Widdicombe, Machynlleth Comedy festival said:

The award of Cultural Recovery Funds by Welsh Government, put simply, is the difference between our organisation surviving the pandemic and not. The arts wholesale lost their ability to operate overnight earlier this year, and the faith placed in us through this fund mean that we will be able to return when it is safe and legal to do so, and gives us the ability to forward plan for when events can take place again. We welcome all support for the arts in Wales and have hope that the sector can survive this thanks in large part to the distribution of these funds.

The Nantgarw China Works is using funding to continue with its online offer. The Chairman of the Nantgarw China Works Trust, Dr. Eurwyn Wiliam, said:

Welsh Government grants through the Federation of Welsh Museums and Business Rates grants via the local authority have enabled us to meet our fixed outgoings for the year and so survive, but the Wales Cultural Recovery Fund has been a God-send for us in looking to the future. Our visitors and the classes that we run in pottery, fused glass and botanical painting are our major income streams and the projects that this grant will fund will enable us to enhance our marketing and offer on-line tuition for those unable to attend the site in person.

Grassroots music venues have also benefited from the fund. Alex Luck, Owner of Diablos SA1, grass roots music venue which promotes young welsh talent in the SA1 area of Swansea, said: 

With the support of Welsh Government and the Creative sector’s engagement Diablos SA1 now has a future and has given me and my staff the enthusiasm to open partially and prepare to promote live music post Covid, this opportunity given through the funding has been a game changer for the business and  has given the venue a chance to diversify and give my employees confidence and a future within this industry.

Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism, Lord Elis-Thomas, said:

In Wales, we want to do everything possible to ensure our arts, culture, heritage and creativity survive this pandemic. In recognition of how hard the sector has been hit, we have also invested an additional £10.7 million to provide further help to reach as many parts of the sector as possible. This takes us well beyond the £59 million consequential received from the UK Government in July highlighting the value we put on the sector’s contribution to Welsh life and the wider economy - and that must continue in the future. We recognise that we’ll need the professionalism, experience, enthusiasm and vison of these professionals to help us come together and rebuild after the public health crisis has abated.

 

Location: Wales, UK

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

New Zealand Trade Deal Will Damage Rural Communities

Responding to the news that the UK Government has concluded the signing of a trade deal with New Zealand, removing trade barriers between the two countries, the Welsh Liberal Democrats have said the deal will cause damage to rural communities and the Welsh agricultural industry. Commenting Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader and Senedd Member for Mid & West Wales Jane Dodds said: "The UK Government has negotiated a trade agreement that will actively damage Welsh farming communities and will bring next to no tangible benefits to our local economies.   "The Conservatives have proven that they are utterly unable to negotiate trade deals that boost the UK economy and unfortunately this agreement is no exception. The economic benefits are a drop in the ocean, and they will do nothing to mitigate the damage from the red tape and paperwork caused by Boris Johnson's shambolic EU trade deal. "Instead of delivering Global Britain, this Government is selling Welsh farmers...
Post a Comment
Read more

,Lib Dems demand Cardiff Council removes Russian investments

Lib Dems demand Cardiff Council removes Russian investments Following the horrific news of Russia invading Ukraine, Local Liberal Democrat Councillor Rhys Taylor has written to Cardiff Council to ask that it’s pension fund sell any shares it may hold in companies that have invested in Russia. “Like so many other local people, I am sickened by what is happening on the streets of Ukraine and our own pension fund should make its feelings clear by divesting any assets it holds in companies with Russian investments. “I believe our council’s pension fund should also take a stand, and if it does hold any shares in Russian companies – or those who have invested in Russia - to divest without delay. “Others have taken action – the Church of England is divesting its £20 million in shareholdings in Russian companies and BP is selling its 19.75% stake in Russian oil giant Rosneft, and Shell is divesting from Gazprom. I encourage local government pension schemes to divest any shares they hol...
Post a Comment
Read more

Jane Dodds - Aberpergwm Coal Mine Expansion Must be Stopped

  he Welsh Liberal Democrats have reiterated their opposition to the expansion of Aberpergwm Coal Mine in Neath Port Talbot Council. Addressing a protest in front of the Senedd Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds stated that if we are to stand any hope of tackling climate change before it’s too late, the coal must be left in the ground.   The protest in front of the Senedd in Cardiff saw multiple Welsh climate groups attend.   The expansion of Aberpergwm Coal Mine has been at the centre of a row between the UK and Welsh Governments, with the Welsh Government claiming it does not have the legal authority to block the mine’s expansion, while the UK Coal Authority has insisted that the Welsh Government could in fact stop the development.   The new license, which was approved by the Coal Authority in January will allow Aberpergwm Mine to extract another forty million tonnes of coal. The development could release up to 1.17 million tonnes of very strong g...
Post a Comment
Read more