Culture Recovery Fund: Government funding given to London’s theatres

Over 1,300 organisations across the United Kingdom have been awarded a total of £1.57 billion.

It's been one year since the Culture Recovery Fund was awarded to thousands of recipients nationwide. The Culture Recovery Fund gave £1.57 billion to 5,000 organisations across the country, and is the biggest ever one-off cash injection for British culture in history.

Speaking about the Fund, Hairspray star Michael Ball said: "Thanks to the Culture Recovery Fund, which has been a lifeline to many organisations across England, casts are now back on stage; ushers, box office staff, and all the many hundreds of people backstage and front of house, who make sure that theatre is a magical experience for everyone, are back in the jobs they cherish. The beat may have been paused but it couldn't be stopped." 

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: "I'm proud of the investment and commitment we have made through the Culture Recovery Fund in the last twelve months, which has been a lifeline to thousands of organisations. Almost £2 billion has protected thousands of organisations, jobs and created work for freelancers." 

The Criterion Theatre, home of Amelie and soon to be Pride and Prejudice* (sort of) was awarded £493,504 of funding has enabled the theatre to prepare to re-open to the public and prepare to deliver productions once again, whilst creating jobs within the sector to achieve this. Other London theatres awarded money as part of the Culture Recovery Fund include the Almeida Theatre, the Kiln Theatre, Southwark Playhouse Theatre Company and Young Vic Company.

The £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund will be boosted with a further £300 million; details of recipients are to be announced. 

Artistic director of Park Theatre Jez Bond said: "We are grateful to the government for the recent news of our Cultural Recovery Fund grant award. Continued uncertainty around when we can open without social distancing means we would have otherwise been in a precarious position come the end of the year. This grant gives us the confidence to continue planning for a relaunch - so that we can once more be there, with some new developments and improvements, for our community, our artists and of course our staff." 

Yamin Choudury and Jo Hemmant from Hackney Empire said: "Hackney Empire gratefully acknowledges the support of Arts Council England and the DCMS. The Culture recovery Funding will allow us to continue our work with our communities and in particular, working with young people who have been so impacted by this pandemic."

Paul Taylor-Mills, artistic director of the Turbine Theatre said: "I'm relieved that The Turbine Theatre... has been acknowledged as valued contributors to the arts in the UK. I'm always proud to lead the incredible team at our Battersea Power Station home... It goes without saying that artists are a resilient group but the notion that this work is valued by the DCMS goes a long way."

Riverside Studios' creative director Rachel Tackey spoke about the changing landscape: "The way our artists think about and present their work has had to shift as the world has changed. Riverside, with its rich legacy of bridging the gap between 'live' and 'digital' work is ideally placed to support them."

The full list of all recipients can be found here.

^{Original article published on 12 October 2020 and last updated on 6 April 2021}