£2.5m Culture funding boost for Liverpool City Region organisations

More than 20 arts organisations and venues across Liverpool City Region are set to share an additional £2.56m from the government’s Cultural Recovery Fund.

The 22 recipients are part of 925 cultural organisations nationwide receiving a total of £107m in a third round of grants from the fund which was set up last year to help support the sector through the pandemic.

Liverpool’s Royal Court (pictured) will get £340,000, while Camp and Furnace receives £331,548 and the Everyman and Playhouse will benefit from £283,599.

Other Liverpool organisations receiving grants are FACT, Bluecoat, Sound City, Smithdown Social, District 61 Jordan Street, Invisible Wind Factory, Laughterhouse on the Road, Liverpool Lighthouse, Merseyside Dance Initiative, Events With Intent, Argent Leisure and I Love Live Events.

In the wider city region, there is also support for Shone Productions and True Entertainment in Knowsley, The Brindley in Halton, Lumen Productions and Total Control Sound in Sefton, and Wirral’s Zicon Entertainment.

The grants are made up of 21 in Continuity Support funding for organisations which have already received support from the Culture Recovery Fund, and one from the fund’s Emergency Resource Support strand.

Gillian Miller, chief executive Liverpool’s Royal Court, said: “The grant will enable us to continue to entertain audiences and employ actors, creatives and staff over the Christmas period.

“We know there will be difficult times over the next few weeks as Covid continues to disrupt productions. This government support will be critical to our theatre’s survival into the new year and we are extremely grateful to all involved for their support.”

Paul Speed, director of Camp and Furnace, said: “We’re very grateful to the Arts Council and DCMS for awarding us this grant from the Culture Recovery Fund.

“The grant is an essential lifeline to ensure Camp and Furnace remains focussed on promoting culture and the arts in Liverpool for all to experience.”