A substantial relief package has been announced for cultural organizations at risk of closure due to COVID-19 – electronic music brands included. On the heels of the #LetUsDance campaign launched by the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), Arts Council England have set aside £500 million for the Culture Recovery Fund.
The program will consist of grants ranging from £50,000 to £3 million. Notably, the funding criteria for genres makes special mention of “electronic (including house, electronica, drum & bass, dubstep, experimental).” Dance culture had arguably been overlooked by the £1.57 billion relief package announced earlier in the month.
NTIA Chief Executive Michael Kill, who warned that previous guidance allowed nightlife to “slip through the cracks,” celebrated the news. “We are extremely pleased that the Government and DCMS have released the guidance and eligibility criteria for the Cultural Recovery Fund and have included electronic music and many other subgenres,” he said in a statement obtained by Mixmag. “This is a positive step forward, but we must maintain pressure on government to gain clarity on the roadmap for businesses that are still unable to open, and fight for further support to ensure their survive this crisis.”
There will be two application rounds for the Culture Recovery Fund. The first will run from August 10th-21st, and the second from August 21st-September 4th, 2020.
