What is the Government's new theatre grant and what will it cover?

Ministers announce major lifeline for UK arts sector billed as the 'biggest ever one-off investment in UK culture'
The Covid-19 crisis has hammered the UK's arts and heritage sectors, bringing many theatres, music venues and other cultural hubs to the cliff edge of financial survival
PA
David Child6 July 2020

The Government has unveiled a £1.57 billion rescue package for Britain’s museums, galleries, and theatres amid the coronavirus crisis.

The new grants and loans are aimed at helping protect the UK's cultural venues from the financial fallout of the pandemic and come after weeks of mounting pressure on officials to act.

Independent cinemas, heritage sites and music venues are also eligible for the support, described by the Government as "the biggest ever one-off investment in UK culture".

Industry leaders had previously warned that many venues were on the brink of collapse, with some already forced to make large numbers of staff redundant .

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said the package is made up of "new money" and has two overarching aims - to preserve "crown jewel" venues like the Royal Albert Hall and national galleries, while also helping local institutions across the UK.

So, here's what you need to know about the lifeline:

Theatres remain closed for live performances due to coronavirus lockdown measures
PA

What is the grant?

The £1.57 billion support pot for cultural organisations in England will be made up of £270 million of repayable finance and £880 million of grants.

An additional £100 million will also be earmarked for targeted support of national cultural institutions in England and the English Heritage Trust.

There will also be £120 million set aside to restart construction on cultural infrastructure and for heritage construction projects in England that were put on pause because of the pandemic.

The funding also includes money for the devolved administrations in Northern Ireland (£33 million), Scotland (£97 million) and Wales (£59 million).

Announcing the package, Mr Dowden said: "Our arts and culture are the soul of our nation. They make our country great and are the lynchpin of our world-beating and fast growing creative industries."

He added: "I understand the grave challenges the arts face and we must protect and preserve all we can for future generations ... I said we would not let the arts down, and this massive investment shows our level of commitment."

Who will it affect?

The package could help secure the jobs of many of the hundreds of thousands of people currently employed in the arts and heritage sectors throughout the UK.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak said: "Our world-renowned galleries, museums, heritage sites, music venues and independent cinemas are not only critical to keeping our economy thriving, employing more than 700,000 people, they’re the lifeblood of British culture."

He added: "That’s why we’re giving them the vital cash they need to safeguard their survival, helping to protect jobs and ensuring that they can continue to provide the sights and sounds that Britain is famous for."

Freelancers Make Theatre Work, a collective of advocates for freelance theatre workers, said on Twitter that they welcomed the news with “a great deal of relief”, adding that it is “great news for the sector as a whole and all the vulnerable freelancers who make up 70 per cent of the industry and are the creative backbone of the work you see on stage”.

Theatre generated £1.28bn in ticket revenue in 2018 and played to a collective audience of 34 million people, according to the Creative Industries Council, a joint forum between the creative industries and government.

The industry as a whole employs some 290,000 workers, 70 per cent of which are estimated to have been put at risk due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Duncan Wilson, Historic England’s Chief Executive, meanwhile said the emergency funding will prove to "be a lifeline" and help with "kickstarting repair works at our historic sites which matter most to local communities".

"It also helps the organisations which look after so many of our precious historic sites, and protects livelihoods of skilled craft workers and businesses hit hardest by the pandemic," he added.

"It will help to secure a sustainable future for the sector and those working in it, often with years of irreplaceable experience."

Industry leaders have warned that the Covid-19 pandemic has pushed arts and cultural venues to the brink of financial collapse
PA

How will it work?

The Government has said the decisions on which awards will be made will be taken by officials working alongside "expert independent figures from the sector".

The Arts Council England and other specialist bodies such as Historic England, National Lottery Heritage Fund and the British Film Institute are among the bodies that will be assisting ministers.

It is not yet clear when the first grants and loans will be awarded and paid out.

How has the arts industry been affected by coronavirus?

The Covid-19 crisis has hammered the UK's arts and heritage sectors, bringing many theatres, music venues and other cultural hubs to the cliff edge of financial survival.

Several major institutions - including London’s Old Vic, Shakespeare’s Globe and the Royal Albert Hall - and countless other smaller venues had warned they were on the brink of closure without a rescue package.

Museums, galleries and cinemas were permitted to reopen in England from July 4 in line with the latest easing in lockdown restrictions, but some are still in the process of implementing plans to ensure staff and visitor safety.

Theatres and concert halls were also given the greenlight to reopen in England from July 4, but not for live performances. Most theatre and concert spaces require capacity of 80 per cent to turn a profit.

Guidance for a phased return of the performing arts, expected to begin with performances behind closed doors and rehearsals, is expected to be published by the Government shortly.

Meanwhile, more than 350,000 people in the recreation and leisure sector have now been furloughed since the pandemic began.

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