English nightclubs and music venues to receive £2.25 million in COVID-19 relief grants
News
Nightclubs and music venues in England will receive £2.25 million in COVID-19 relief grants in the coming months.
Earlier this month, following various campaigns by the likes of Music Venues Trust (MVT) and #LetTheMusicPlay, the UK government announced the first details of a £1.57billion support package for arts and culture institutions which remain closed amid the coronavirus pandemic. Chancellor Rishi Sunak revealed that £270m in loans and £880million in grants for music venues, theatres, museums, heritage sites and galleries would be provided, but failed to pass comment on nightclubs and smaller venues.
Now, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden has confirmed that £2.25 million of the funding will be used to secure the futures of up to 150 venues and nightclubs across the country, with venues receiving between £1,000 and £80,000 dependending on eligibility.
A statement on the Arts Council website said that funding would be made available to “venues whose main function is to present live music events for a public audience in the grassroots part of this sector” and is open to “venues whose main function is to present live music events for a public audience in the grassroots part of this sector.”
The window for applications opened this weekend (25th), and will close at midday on the 3rd August. Successful appilicants will be notificed by the 10th August.
It’s been almost five months since prime minister Boris Johnson officially ordered a list of venues, which included clubs, pubs, bars, food and drink venues, theatres, and concert halls, to close their doors due to the coronavirus pandemic. Earlier this month, pubs and restaurants reopened around the UK, with outdoor events now also taking place.
