12th October 2020
Band on the Wall has been awarded £211k as part of the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund (CRF) to help face the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic and to ensure they have a sustainable future, the Culture Secretary has announced.
The historic venue, owned and operated by registered charity Inner City Music is one of 1,385 cultural and creative organisations across the country receiving urgently needed support. £257 million of investment has been announced today as part of the very first round of the Culture Recovery Fund grants programme being administered by Arts Council England. Further rounds of funding in the cultural and heritage sector are due to be announced over the coming weeks.
Band on the Wall has been a showcase venue for live music for 200 years and the COVID-19 crisis represents the biggest challenge it has faced in living memory. This funding provides essential support to enable the venue to re-open in September 2021 following long-planned building restoration works.
Gavin Sharp, CEO, Inner City Music said:
“It is with great relief and gratitude that we can confirm that we have been successful in our application to the government backed, Arts Council’s Culture Recovery Fund, with support amounting to £211k. While the aim of this fund is to preserve cultural organisations such as ours, so that we can be ready to emerge early next year, specifically for us it means that we will be able to keep working on creating a brand new Band on the Wall which will be ready to open in September 2021.
As a charity whose core objective is to celebrate the music of many cultures by discovering, exploring and showcasing amazing artists from across the world, while also promoting music education, diversity and heritage, we are extremely pleased that we will still be here once the pandemic is over.”
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said:
“This funding is a vital boost for the theatres, music venues, museums and cultural organisations that form the soul of our nation. It will protect these special places, save jobs and help the culture sector’s recovery.
“These places and projects are cultural beacons the length and breadth of the country. This unprecedented investment in the arts is proof this government is here for culture, with further support to come in the days and weeks ahead so that the culture sector can bounce back strongly.”
Chair, Arts Council England, Sir Nicholas Serota, said:
“Theatres, museums, galleries, dance companies and music venues bring joy to people and life to our cities, towns and villages. This life-changing funding will save thousands of cultural spaces loved by local communities and international audiences. Further funding is still to be announced and we are working hard to support our sector during these challenging times.”