THANK YOU @DCMS & #HereForCulture!!

More than £300 million has been awarded to thousands of cultural organisations across the country including the Babbacombe Theatre, Torquay in the latest round of support from the Culture Recovery Fund, the Culture Secretary announced last Friday 2^nd April 2021

The second round of awards will help the popular Torquay venue to look ahead to the spring and summer and plan for reopening and recovery. After months of closures and cancellations to contain the virus and save lives, this funding is much needed and whilst it will not compensate for the losses that have been incurred during lockdown it should ensure the future of the theatre.

Culture Secretary, Oliver Dowden, said:

“Our record breaking Culture Recovery Fund has already helped thousands of culture and heritage organisations across the country survive the biggest crisis they've ever faced.

Now we’re staying by their side as they prepare to welcome the public back through their doors - helping our cultural gems plan for reopening and thrive in the better times ahead."

Colin Matthews, owner & managing director is delighted to have been granted the award having not been successful during the first round and he was beginning to fear for the future of the theatre. He is grateful to the government’s #CultureRecoveryFund so that he can continue to be around to ENTERTAIN Devon audiences and be #HereForCulture throughout 2021, his 35th anniversary season, 2022 and beyond!

To everyone that has supported the Babbacombe Theatre so far since the closure in 2020 the management team, staff and casts associated with the venue pass on their heartfelt thanks to every single supporter - if you had not been there with your generous donations then the theatre would not be here for you all now!

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.”

The funding awarded today is from a £400 million pot which was held back last year to ensure the Culture Recovery Fund could continue to help organisations in need as the public health picture changed. The funding has been awarded by Arts Council England, as well as Historic England and National Lottery Heritage Fund and the British Film Institute. 

SOME NOTES THAT MAY INTEREST YOU

Arts Council England is the national development agency for creativity and culture. We have set out our strategic vision in Let’s Create that by 2030 we want England to be a country in which the creativity of each of us is valued and given the chance to flourish and where everyone of us has access to a remarkable range of high quality cultural experiences. We invest public money from Government and The National Lottery to help support the sector and to deliver this vision. www.artscouncil.org.uk

Following the Covid-19 crisis, the Arts Council developed a £160 million Emergency Response Package, with nearly 90% coming from the National Lottery, for organisations and individuals needing support. We are also one of the bodies administering the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund. Find out more at www.artscouncil.org.uk/covid19.

At the Budget, the Chancellor announced the £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund would be boosted with a further £300 million investment. Details of this third round of funding will be announced soon.