Liverpool heritage bodies share £1.9m in Cultural Recovery Fund grants

Liverpool cultural and heritage organisations and venues devastated by the coronavirus pandemic are to receive more than £1.9m in heritage grants from the Government’s Cultural Recovery Fund.

The grants, announced today, are the first tranche of the £1.57 billion fund to be revealed since it was promised by Chancellor Rishi Sunak in July.

Liverpool Cathedral will receive £612,700 while the Metropolitan Cathedral has been promised £477,600.

Meanwhile Tall Ship Zebu CIC, based at the Royal Albert Dock, gets £458,400, the British Music Experience £97,800 and Liverpool Carnival Company £12,300.

The City Council, which is an Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation, will receive £250,000.

A council spokesman said: “We're delighted to receive this vital funding and will be investing in a special project which we'll announce in the coming weeks.”

The Very Rev Dr Sue Jones, Dean of Liverpool, said: “We're thankful for this lifeline from the government. In the most difficult year of my Christian ministry, it's gratifying to receive some help for us to remain serving the city in the many ways we do.

"We had already taken great steps to survive through this time and there is much still to do. But this lifeline will help us to recover, to secure vital jobs, and to keep reaching out to the city.

"We're always mindful that we were built by the people, for the people and we want this grant to continue to help us serve Liverpool through being a catalyst for other investment, a place to attract people to the city, and a spiritual and cultural focus for the city as we build towards Christmas.”

The cash is part of more than £66m distributed among 433 heritage organisations nationwide, with the hope individual revenue grants of up to £1m will act as a lifeline for the sector.

In addition to the Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage grants, a further 12 organisations – including the National Trust, Historic Palaces and the Canal and River Trust, are set to share £34m from a Heritage Stimulus Fund.

The bulk of the £1.57bn is still to be released.