Those that work at arts venues across Norwich are celebrating after receiving a share of the government’s Culture Recovery Fund, with £1.87 million worth of grants given in the city.
On Monday, the government allocated the first £257 million of its £1.57 billion survival package for the arts, with 11 venues across Norwich benefiting from the funding.
The organisations that have received this vital lifeline in the city so far are: The Brickmakers (£174,958), Epic Studios (£424,720), NORCA & Sistema in Norwich (£125,000), Norfolk Museums Service (£456,887), Norwich Arts Centre (£72,250), Norwich Puppet Theatre (£84,750), The Garage Trust (£75,000), The Oak Circus Centre (£51,479), The Voice Project (£50,000), The Wharf (£66,000) and The Waterfront (293,132).
The money will help them ensure their future and lessen the costly impact of coronavirus, which has seen arts venues across the country closed or at limited capacity for most of the year.
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Norwich Theatre, which operate the Theatre Royal, Playhouse and Stage Two, will find out whether it has secured funding in a few weeks time as it is in a different category.
Jonathan Thursby, chief executive officer at Epic Studios, said: “We are relieved and happy as we put a lot of work into the documentation put forward to the government in August.
“Epic is a unique venue as it is a TV studio too and we want to create our own entertainment show to stream to the world with local talent to put Norwich on the map and that takes proper equipment and crew.”
Adam Taylor, The Garage Trust’s executive director and head of centre, said: “We lost £650,000 of income, about 50pc of our total income, and this grant is so important to us.
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“It helps sustain our organisation into the next year and supports our work with artists, audiences, performing arts tutors and most importantly our participants and students at our sites in Norwich and King’s Lynn.”
Pasco Kevlin, Norwich Arts Centre director, said: “This funding is gratefully received and will allow us to continue to do what we do best, which is put on cultural events for our community.”
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