Good news for the arts in the UK: The UK government has announced a £1.57bn support package (including £97 million for Scotland) to help protect the future of the UK’s cultural venues.
Music venues, theatres, galleries, museums, independent cinemas and heritage sites will be eligible for the new emergency grants and loans.
How the money will be divided between the varying arts and how much will be in the form of either loans or grants has not yet been detailed. However, the news has initially been warmly welcomed by many arts organisations.
Music Venue Trust reacted to the news by saying ‘This fund provides the opportunity to stabilise and protect our vibrant and vital network of venues and gives us the time we need to create a plan to Reopen Every Venue Safely.’
It’s expected that guidance for a phased return of the performing arts is to follow from the government shortly.
