Nine Isle of Wight arts organisations have been awarded a total £489,264 in the latest round of the Culture Recovery Fund.
The two largest payments went to a stage school at Shanklin Theatre – Spotlight IOW Ltd (£107,000), and Sugar Stack Productions Limited (£98,623) – a company part-owned by radio DJ Alex Dyke that is connected to the ‘Jack Up The Summer’ music event.
The full list
Other recipients include the Steve Ross Foundation (Quay Arts), Brading Roman Villa and Ventnor Arts Club.
Full details are provided below.
| Org/Company | Grant |
|---|---|
| Brading Roman Villa | £35,278 |
| Shanklin Theatre | £37,000 |
| Spotlight IOW Ltd | £107,000 |
| Stage Gear Rentals | £43,266 |
| Steve Ross Foundation (Quay Arts) | £60,071 |
| Strings Bar & Venue | £52,000 |
| Sugar Stack Productions Ltd | £98,623 |
| Ventnor Arts Club | £26,026 |
| Ventnor Exchange | £30,000 |
Culture Recovery Fund
The funding was reserved in the first round of the £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund to allow the Government to respond to the changing public health picture.
With more than 70 per cent of funding going outside of London, it will help organisations across the country as they welcome back visitors and return to normal operating models in the months ahead.
Serota: Will help to re-open theatres, concert halls, and museums
Sir Nicholas Serota, Chair, Arts Council England, said,
“Investing in a thriving cultural sector at the heart of communities is a vital part of helping the whole country to recover from the pandemic.
“These grants will help to re-open theatres, concert halls, and museums and will give artists and companies the opportunity to begin making new work.
“We are grateful to the Government for this support and for recognising the paramount importance of culture to our sense of belonging and identity as individuals and as a society.”
A lifeline to survival for local independent cinemas
Ben Roberts, BFI Chief Executive said,
“People have been missing the big screen experience and we know they are looking forward to cinemas being able to reopen from 17th May onwards. The Culture Recovery Fund has been a lifeline to survival for local independent cinemas up and down the country, ensuring that they will be able to welcome their audiences back.
“In bringing the latest films from blockbusters to British films and new discoveries from around the world as well as screen classics, the local ‘cinema paradiso’ is often the only form of culture and entertainment in their area and are vital to their communities.
“We need them back and thanks to the fund screens will soon light up once more.”
Image: © Shanklin Theatre
