Arts Council England and DCMS announce first recipients of Cultural Recovery Fund

A selection of recipients (classical music/venues) of the first tranche of ACE/DCMS Cultural Recovery Fund. The complete list of data is available on the Arts Council England website.

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra secures £834K

In response to its £834,000 grant from Arts Council England, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra issued the following statement:

“This grant from the Culture Recovery Fund – along with support from donors to our £12.5 million Sound of the Future fundraising campaign – allows us to return to giving live concerts in a safe and Covid-compliant way: we have just announced a series of ensemble concerts at CBSO Centre, and we are working towards restarting larger-scale concerts at Symphony Hall.   The funding also enables us to share more of our work on digital platforms, and to increase the reach of our community work at a time when many people may find it hard to attend concerts in person.

By getting back on stage, we will be able to start engaging freelance musicians and guest artists, and we will also help other parts of the live music sector – agents, publishers, venues and other suppliers – to start earning as well.”

Mozartists secure £99K

Mozartists CEO Debbie Coates said in response to the ACE Grant:

“These have been uniquely difficult times for our industry, and the knock-on effects both to our organisation and our talented freelance artists have been horrendous. This grant provides some light at the end of the tunnel, offering us a lifeline so that we can resume the presentation of world-class performances and generate vital work for our artists. We are immensely grateful for this show of support and confidence in our work.”

London Philharmonic Orchestra statement

David Burke the LPO’s Chief Executive, commented:

Everyone at the London Philharmonic Orchestra is grateful for this grant from the Culture Recovery Fund as it will enable the Orchestra to continue to bring the wonder of orchestral music to global audiences. We also acknowledge that the plight of freelancers, in particular, needs to be constantly reviewed and all of us who care about the arts need to remain vigilant to ensure that the many thousands of freelancers are able to continue their vital contribution to the country’s economy and well-being.”

Watch the LPO’s In The Stream of Life on Marquee TV

Wigmore Hall

John Gilhoolly, Wigmore Hall:

“We are working very hard to bring artists and audiences back to Wigmore Hall and this government injection of funds is a great first step for our national cultural life, so much part of our national identity. However, this crisis could go on and for the arts. There is no end yet in sight and further help will be needed right through the UK, and especially for freelance musicians and artists who have lost so much.”

Saffron Hall, Cambridgeshire

Chief Executive, Saffron Hall Trust, Angela Dixon said:

“We are delighted and relieved to receive this money from the Cultural Recovery Fund. These funds will contribute towards the survival of Saffron Hall and allow us to support other arts organisations and freelancers locally and nationally through to March next year as we continue to build a safe environment in which to share music. 

We do not know how long this crisis will last, but over the last seven weeks we have welcomed 118 musicians to our stage and over 1,380 audience members to our reconfigured socially distanced auditorium and we are determined to keep going. 

Many thanks to the brilliant Saffron Hall team, the board of trustees, our amazing volunteers, our members and supporters and Saffron Walden County High School.”

Classical music organisations (venues and ensembles) in receipt of the Cultural Recovery Fund

Blackheath Conservatoire of Music and the Arts Ltd £228,000
Chineke Foundation £300,000
City of Birmingham Symphony orchestra £843,000
City of London Sinfonia £75,000
Classical Opera & The Mozartists £99,452
English Chamber Orchestra £102,034
Ex Cathedra Ltd £114,078
Hampshire Music Service £249,000
IMG Artists (UK) Ltd £100,000
Intermusica Artists Management Ltd £198,000
Halle Concerts Society £740,000
London Contemporary Voices £50,000
London Philharmonic Orchestra £650,000
London Symphony Orchestra £846,000
Manchester Camerata Limited £229,000
Manchester Collective £156,174
National Youth Choirs of Great Britain £170,000
National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain £250,000
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment £75,000
Orchestra of the Swan £130,000
Orpheus Sinfonia £69,966
Philharmonia Limited £967,413
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic £748,000
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Ltd £996,702
Saffron Hall Trust £245,000
Sinfonietta Productions Limited £80,990
Snape Maltings £950,000
St John’s Smith Square £227,147
West Suffolk Council £250,000
Wigmore Hall £1000,000
Wiltshire Music Centre Trust Ltd £188,158