Funds for Grassroots Music venues

The first tranche of funding from the Government’s £1.57 billion cultural recovery package will be used to save around 150 grassroots music venues from insolvency, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden has announced today.

The £2.25 million of emergency funding will be used to support venues at imminent risk of collapse and it is expected to benefit up to 150 venues across the country.

The £1.57 billion package - the largest ever government investment in UK culture - announced earlier this month will be used to help support the performing arts and theatres, museums, heritage, galleries, independent cinemas and live music venues through the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said:
''Without our grassroots music venues, we wouldn’t have The Beatles, Adele or Elton John. Nearly all of our globally successful music stars started out at UK clubs and live music venues - and we must make sure those organisations weather the COVID storm.''

''The first £2.25 million of our unprecedented cultural rescue package is targeted at their survival. We’re working to deliver the rest of the £1.57 billion emergency package as quickly as possible so that we can protect and preserve our precious culture, arts and heritage for future generations.''

This package of support will be administered by Arts Council England (ACE) and will target music venues, including a number identified by the Music Venues Trust, that is at severe risk of insolvency. The funding will provide grants of up to £80,000 to help venues survive the next few months

The funding will be used to cover essential on-going costs for venues including rent, utilities, maintenance contracts and other bills.