Culture Recovery Fund

Junction Arts to receive £25,000 from second round of the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund

• Junction Arts is among more than 2,700 recipients to benefit from the latest round of awards from the £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund

• This award will help us to secure our programme delivery for 2021 ensuring we are there for local communities to create a better future through the arts.

Junction Arts in Chesterfield has received a grant of £25,000 from the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund to help the organisation recover.

More than £300 million has been awarded to thousands of cultural organisations across the country including Junction Arts in the latest round of support from the Culture Recovery Fund, the Culture Secretary announced today.

Junction Arts has worked with the communities of rural, ex-industrial North East Derbyshire for over 40 years. Established in Bolsover District, Junction Arts has provided opportunities for thousands of people to engage in the arts. It’s festivals, workshops and events offer the chance for people to be creative, learn new skills and build stronger communities. This funding will enable them to bring the staff team back to full capacity and invest in project development in April-June, ensuring they secure the investment needed to deliver their full annual programme with isolated communities.

Over £800 million in grants and loans has already been awarded to support almost 3,800 cinemas, performance venues, museums, heritage sites and other cultural organisations dealing with the immediate challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.

The second round of awards made today will help organisations 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 will be a much-needed helping hand for organisations transitioning back to normal in the months ahead.

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.”

Paul Steele, Managing Director of Junction Arts, said:

“We are so grateful to the Culture Recovery Fund for providing this support which secures our future programme. This funding will enable us to develop our projects for the next year with artists and isolated communities, in particular it will enable us to plan ahead for our Autumn festivals and events season which will be so important to bring communities together again.”

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.