More than £1M boost for six organisations in Herefordshire

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport and Arts Council England have today announced that 1385 arts and cultural organisations are to receive a share of £257 million as part of a vital financial boost from the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund.  

In Herefordshire this £1,055,565 investment will help six theatres, galleries, performance groups, arts organisations and local venues facing the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic, to ensure they have a sustainable future and continue to bring joy to local communities and international audiences.

Today’s recipients are those that applied for grants of under £1 million in the first round of the Culture Recovery Fund. This funding will help organisations create work and performances, and plan for reopening.

It is the biggest tranche of funding distributed to date from the Culture Recovery Fund, and the first in a series of announcements on the funding programmes administered by Arts Council England. Applicants for grants of over £1 million, as well as those who applied to round two of the fund and the Repayable Finance programme, will be notified of their outcomes shortly. 
 
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said:  “This funding is a vital boost for the theatres, music venues, museums and cultural organisations that form the soul of our nation. It will protect these special places, save jobs and help the culture sector’s recovery. 

“These places and projects are cultural beacons the length and breadth of the country - from the Beamish museum in County Durham to the Birmingham Royal Ballet and the Bristol Old Vic. 

“This unprecedented investment in the arts is proof this government is here for culture, with further support to come in the days and weeks ahead so that the culture sector can bounce back strongly.”

Peter Knott, Area Director, Arts Council England said: “We’re delighted the Culture Recovery Fund has enabled support for a wide range of arts and cultural sector companies across Herefordshire. 

“The government’s package is hugely welcome, providing much of the sector with resources to remain in business through to the Spring. Well-loved community projects, theatres, galleries, museums, clubs, music venues, festivals, key cultural suppliers along with other creative spaces and projects have benefited. This is welcome news not only for those in receipt of the funding but also for communities in villages, towns and cities across the Midlands where this matters so much.

“We know that creativity, arts and culture benefit us in so many ways, having a positive impact on our wellbeing, bringing us together and making a significant contribution to the local and national economy – today’s announcements gives us a chance to continue that and contribute to the national recovery, post-Covid.”
 
Organisations that will be receiving funding in Herefordshire include: 
 

• 2Faced Dance Company (£148,000) produces performance and participation programmes alongside a community dance programme, allowing them to tell new and original stories and generating distinctive new work. The company tours extensively across the UK and internationally working with cutting edge and culturally diverse designers, venues, organisations and people. They offer support and mentor local artists while advocating on behalf of the wider dance sector and challenging and inspiring different sectors of society. The funding will help to set up outdoor performances and to provide digital dance films by working with local filmmakers.
• The Courtyard (£535,565) is an arts centre in Hereford which houses a main auditorium, studio, visual arts galleries, café bar and restaurant. The Courtyard combines a presentation programme with an extensive participation programme of events and classes for all sections of the local community. It is home to arts organisations including Music Pool, 2Faced Dance Company, DanceFest, Alloy Jewellery Co-operative, New Theatre Works, Feral Productions and Four Play Theatre Company. It is the main presenting venue for Borderlines Film Festival, the largest Rural Film Festival in the UK. The funding will allow the delivery of the annual Pantomime through digital live streaming and an online education and outreach programme.
• Nozstock Festival (£70,000) The Hidden Valley is a grassroots Herefordshire festival which has 10 culturally diverse stages of music, performance, film and wider arts including UK and international artists. A family festival that caters to all ages with activities that children can enjoy, as well as entertainment for teens, students, seasoned festival goers, and grandparents. The funding will be used for the development of a sustainable festival from 2021 onwards.
• Rural Media Charity (£125,000) is a production company and charity producing films and digital arts projects. RMC works with communities, schools, groups and individuals to create issue-driven films, heritage and digital arts projects that raise awareness, influence change and celebrate rural life. They create content for a range of platforms - cinema, television, tablets and smartphones – where they tell compelling stories with high production values and they operate the only dedicated professional production facility in Herefordshire. The funding will allow them to develop more digital outreach work and engagement.

 
Today’s announcement will be followed by further allocations of grants and loans to successful applicants to the government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund in the coming days and weeks.