Over a month has passed since Arts Council England announced that the U.K. government had set aside £500 million in Culture Recovery Fund grants. The organization has shared a list of 135 grassroots venues rescued by the COVID-19 aid, including notable mainstays of the electronic music community.
Attack Magazine notes that London clubs Fold, XOYO and Corsica Studios as well as Soup Kitchen in Manchester are among the recipients of the relief. In total, the 135 venues have been granted £3.36 million.
“This Government is here for culture and these grants today show we are determined to help our exceptional music industry weather the COVID-19 storm and come back stronger,” said Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Oliver Dowden. “I encourage music fans to help too by supporting music and cultural events as they start to get going again. We need a collective effort to help the things we love through COVID-19.”
“This is vital funding for the cultural sector that is being hit the hardest by COVID-19,” said French DJ and broadcaster Gilles Peterson. “So many people in the music world are reliant on the live music sector, and without this government help irrevocable long-term harm threatened the world leading U.K. music industry and those who rely on it for a living.”
Arts Council England’s Recovery Fund followed months of lobbying by the Night Time Industries Association, especially via the #LetUsDance campaign. Grants range from £50,000 to £3 million, and the published funding criteria made mention of “electronic (including house, electronica, drum & bass, dubstep, experimental).”
The full list of venues saved by the Culture Recovery Fund is available on the Arts Council England website.
Image credit: Alexander Popov
