Forty five arts and heritage organisations across the region are to receive a £9.7 million share of the Government’s Cultural Recovery Fund to support and help sustain their future.
Organisations that will receive funding in the region will include Bristol Old Vic, the Theatre Royal Bath, and the home of Concorde – South Gloucestershire’s Aerospace Bristol museum. Recipients also include music and comedy venues such as Bath’s Komedia, and The Fleece, The Exchange and Trinity in Bristol, as well as popular heritage attractions like the Jane Austen Centre, and the SS Great Britain.
Regional Mayor Tim Bowles said: “Arts, culture and heritage play a huge role in the life and the economy of the West of England; employing over 9,000 people in the region and contributing over £3bn to our economy.
“Many organisations have been able to access grants and business rate relief during the crisis but I’ve been calling on Government to give more support to this vitally important sector that still faces considerable uncertainty.
“This funding will be a lifeline to many theatres, music venues and museums in the region and will help to create a platform from which we can begin to re-build so that our vibrant creative and cultural sector can thrive.”
On Friday, the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) committed an additional £0.5m for the cultural and creative industries, through the region’s Economic Recovery Taskforce, in addition to WECA’s current activities including the Creative Scale-Up programme.
The West of England applicants successful for round one of the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund are:
| Organisation Name | £ Award offered | Discipline |
| acta community theatre ltd | £50,000 | Theatre |
| Aerofleece Limited | £249,297 | Music |
| Aerospace Bristol | £514,000 | Museums |
| Arcadia Spectacular Ltd | £237,826 | Combined arts |
| Artspace Lifespace | £94,000 | Combined arts |
| Bath Festivals | £100,000 | Combined arts |
| Bath International Comedy Festival | £75,000 | Theatre |
| Bristol Old Vic and Theatre Royal Trust Ltd | £610,466 | Theatre |
| Crack Industries Ltd | £125,320 | Music |
| Crosstown Concerts Ltd | £212,950 | Music |
| Enlightened Lighting Ltd | £247,106 | Not discipline specific |
| Exchange Venue Bristol Limited | £85,533 | Music |
| Funk Productions Ltd | £50,000 | Not discipline specific |
| George Street (Bath) Ltd | £249,300 | Music |
| GRADE Management | £122,000 | Music |
| Holburne Museum | £326,408 | Museums |
| Invisible Circus | £65,000 | Theatre |
| Jane Austen Ltd | £189,903 | Combined arts |
| Koolwaters agency Ltd | £96,548 | Music |
| Loco Klub | £83,000 | Combined arts |
| Motion Events LTD | £884,796 | Music |
| Next Stage Theatre Company Ltd. | £51,499 | Theatre |
| Optimum Mastering | £50,000 | Music |
| Portland Productions | £50,000 | Combined arts |
| Propaganda Promotions LTD | £249,857 | Music |
| Rondo Trust | £50,000 | Theatre |
| Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory (stf) | £50,000 | Theatre |
| Spike Island Artspace Ltd | £189,306 | Visual arts |
| SS Great Britain Trust | £888,186 | Museums |
| St George’s Bristol | £564,916 | Music |
| SWG Events Ltd | £200,000 | Not discipline specific |
| T.H.Collective | £195,000 | Not discipline specific |
| TDR PRODUCTIONS LTD | £248,465 | Music |
| The Beau Nash Ltd t/a Komedia Bath | £210,000 | Combined arts |
| The Louisiana, Bristol | £137,476 | Music |
| The Pool Agency Limited | £50,000 | Music |
| The Wardrobe Ensemble | £51,600 | Theatre |
| The Wardrobe Theatre | £65,192 | Theatre |
| Theatre Ad Infinitum | £58,500 | Theatre |
| Theatre Bristol Ltd | £50,019 | Theatre |
| Theatre Royal Bath | £955,192 | Theatre |
| Trigger | £85,558 | Theatre |
| Trinity Community Arts | £329,363 | Music |
| Watershed Arts Trust Ltd | £731,993 | Not discipline specific |
| Weston-super-Mare Town Council | £323,000 | Theatre |
| TOTAL | £10,503,575 |
