Liverpool arts organisations share £5.1million Culture Recovery Fund cash

Liverpool arts and cultural organisations including the Royal Court, Everyman & Playhouse, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Bluecoat and Cavern City Tours are set to receive Coronavirus culture grants from the government.

Unity Theatre, Parr Street Studios, dot-art, Sound City, Wired Aerial Theatre and Liverpool Irish Festival are among 30 city recipients who together are due to share more than £5,100,000 from the Culture Recovery Fund.

They are some of 1,385 cultural and creative organisations across the country receiving a total of £257m of investment announced today as part of the £1.57 billion fund which was unveiled in July.

The funding follows last week’s heritage grants announcement with further rounds of funding in the cultural and heritage sector due to be revealed over the coming weeks.

Jon Keats, a director at the Cavern which is receiving £525,000, said: "This is positive news in very uncertain times and it means we can put it towards protecting 90 jobs that still exist in the company.

"Half the funding awarded is directly for our self-employed musicians and technicians and it's about getting them back on stage. We have 30 resident artists."

Above: The Cavern Club. Top: Liverpool Playhouse

The Everyman & Playhouse will use its £389,352 funding to partially re-open both venues with COVID-safe measures in place, to work with freelancers on upcoming productions for Christmas and to invest in digital equipment to stream future productions.

Mark Da Vanzo, chief executive of Liverpool & Merseyside Theatres Trust, said: “Given current social distancing restrictions, the fund allows us to partially reopen and continue to provide critical employment, as well as make a substantial economic contribution to the Liverpool region.

"In a normal year, we would contribute over £15m to the local economy and spend over £1m on freelancers, so in reopening we will be able to support both our city’s recovery as well as our precious community of freelance workers once again.”

Michael Eakin, chief executive of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, said: “We're very grateful for this grant (£748.000) which will help us to remain financially stable during this extremely challenging period.

"The grant will also help us continue to offer a programme of Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra concerts for live audiences, and concerts streamed online. It will support the work of Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Company, and an extensive learning programme including our In Harmony programme working with children and young people in North Liverpool.”

And speaking about its £249,996 grant Bluecoat chief executive Mary Cloake said: “This is an extremely challenging time for the cultural sector, and this grant will enable us to continue delivering outstanding work and support our creative community, while welcoming visitors in a safe environment.

"We're very grateful for the continued support of Arts Council England.”

Arts Council England is distributing the funding for the Government. ACE Chairman Sir Nicholas Serota, said: “Theatres, museums, galleries, dance companies and music venues bring joy to people and life to our cities, towns and villages.

“This life-changing funding will save thousands of cultural spaces loved by local communities and international audiences.

“Further funding is still to be announced and we are working hard to support our sector during these challenging times.”

The full list of Liverpool recipients is:

Bido Lito, Bluecoat Display Centre, Cavern City Tours, Chibuku, Cinder House Publishing, District 61 Jordan Street, dot-art, Event Design Co Ltd, Events With Intent, Everyman & Playhouse, FACT, Glasswerk Concerts, Invisible Wind Factory, Laughterhouse on the Road, Liverpool Irish Festival, Liverpool Lighthouse, Meraki Liverpool, Merseyside Dance Initiative, Merseyside Youth Association, Parr Street Studios, Phase One Liverpool, Royal Court Liverpool, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Sound City, Stone & Carew, The Bluecoat, Valley Community Theatre, Wired Aerial Theatre and Writing on the Wall.