Arts organisations and individuals across the Isle of Wight have been awarded £161,461 Covid-19 emergency response funding by The Arts Council.
The grant awards are part of £8.5 million that has been awarded to 873 individuals and 302 independent organisations across the South West, thanks to the National Lottery and Government.
The purpose of the Arts Council’s emergency response funding is to help alleviate the immediate pressures faced by artists, creative practitioners, arts organisations, museums, and libraries over summer – supporting them as they continue to serve their communities during this crisis and affording them the time to stabilise and plan for the future.
Supporting independent organisations
£50 million of the Arts Council’s emergency response package was available to support organisations outside of the Arts Council’s National Portfolio, with £6.5 million awarded to 302 organisations across the South West.
There are six organisations on the Isle of Wight who received funding totalling £142,751 include:
| Organisation | Amount |
| Brading Roman Villa | £35,000 |
| Steve Ross Foundation for the Arts (Quay Arts) | £35,000 |
| Independent Arts | £20,000 |
| StoneCrabs Theatre Company | £32,407 |
| Ryde Arts | £12,344 |
| Ventnor Exchange | £8,000 |
A further eight individuals received £18,710 investment from Arts Council England.
Whitewood: ACE support at critical period made a huge difference
Jack Whitewood, Director, Ventnor Exchange, said,
“We believe every part of the country deserves access to cultural activities and that everyone needs opportunities to be creative and express themselves.
“Our idyllic surroundings disguise high levels of poverty, with our neighbourhood in the bottom 11% most deprived areas of England (IMD 2019) and we passionately believe grassroots organisations on the front line are best placed to make real and lasting change.
“Arts Council England’s support of small organisations like ours at this critical period has made a huge difference, ensuring we can continue to engage with our community during these unprecedented times, and adapt quickly to safeguard core staff.”
Phil Gibby, Area Director, Arts Council England, South West, said:
“We’re proud to have turned this emergency funding programme around in such a short space of time, with the help from our partners in Government and from our team members working in their home offices. Arts Council has been able to award these grants at a critical time, to so many brilliant artists, creative practitioners and cultural organisations who suddenly found themselves in a difficult position due to Covid-19.
“The creative and cultural sector helps to generate the local economy, provides jobs, improves people’s wellbeing and helps us to make sense of the world. And like so many other sectors, it has never faced a challenge of this scale which is why we are pleased to make this funding announcement today, in the knowledge that this funding will not just keep the lights on but will also connect many people at this challenging time.”
Image: © Julian Winslow
