OVER £ 500,000 IN FUNDING FOR CROP RECOVERY RECEIVED BY ISLAND ORGANIZATIONS – Island Echo

Island organizations have received a total of £ 544,000 in grants and loans to help them reopen and recover from the coronavirus lockdown, as part of the second round of the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund.
This funding will help 11 Isle of Wight organizations return to normal operating models in the coming months as they welcome visitors again and return the culture and entertainment industry to a thriving part of the economy. from the island.
One organization that will benefit is Newport’s Quay Arts Center, which is expected to receive £ 60,071 from the fund, helping the center recover and reopen after the long period of closure caused by the pandemic.
Quay Arts Center Director Del Seymour said:
“Quay Arts is eternally grateful to receive funding through the #CultureRecoveryFund – as a result, we can continue to bring arts and culture to the island digitally while preparing for our imminent reopening.
“With a wide range of workshops, visual arts, artist and curatorial talks / tours, live music and other dock art planned, it’s most definitely #HereForCulture.”
More than £ 800million in grants and loans have already been made to support nearly 3,800 cinemas, performance venues, museums, heritage sites and other cultural organizations facing the immediate challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.
One of the 2 theaters on the Isle of Wight, Ryde’s Commodore – which opened in 1936 – also received a share of the grant, with £ 28,667 for the popular venue. Other organizations expected to benefit on the island include theater and event specialists StageGear (£ 43,266), Strings Bar and Venue (£ 52,000) and Spotlight IOW (£ 107,000).
Isle of Wight MP Bob Seely said:
“I have been a strong advocate for government support for cultural organizations on the island to ensure they are able to reopen as soon as possible.
“I warmly welcome this funding for 11 key companies and organizations here on the Isle of Wight. I also welcome the funding from St Thomas’ in Newport.
“We are all eager to find a new normal. “
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Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said:
“Our record-breaking Cultural Revival Fund has already helped thousands of cultural and heritage organizations across the country survive the greatest crisis they have ever known.
“Now we stand by their side as they prepare to welcome audiences once again through their doors – helping our cultural gems plan to reopen and thrive in the best times to come.”