Recovery grants announced for Chichester Festival Theatre and Worthing Theatres

Chichester Festival Theatre and Worthing Theatres and Museum are the big West Sussex beneficiaries of the latest round of grants from the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund.
Connaught Theatre WorthingConnaught Theatre Worthing
Connaught Theatre Worthing

Chichester Festival Theatre is to receive £348,261 and Worthing Theatres and Museum gets £98,000.

There is also a grant to Mid-Sussex based musical group Ensemble Reza of £24,435 and to Worthing’s Atom Promotions of £27,500. Completing the list, Illustrated World Series receives £27,500 and KP Projects CIC gets £25,003. Wowbagger Productions gets £25,000 – a total of £575,699 for seven organisations across West Sussex.

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In all, The Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport has announced that 925 cultural and creative organisations nationally are to receive a share of £107 million in grants and loans as part of a vital financial boost from the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund.

This includes more than £100 million, which has been awarded in grants through Arts Council England, Historic England, National Lottery Heritage Fund and the British Film Institute.

This funding will mean people can get back to enjoying everything these organisations have to offer.

Organisations receiving funding in West Sussex as part of today’s announcement include:

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£348,261 for Chichester Festival Theatre. Chichester Festival Theatre produces a diverse range of dramas, musicals, and new commissions with these often transferring to the West End, nationally and internationally. Through digital and streaming developments in 2020, the theatre has expanded its global reach to across 52 countries. It also has the largest youth theatre in the UK, with 800 members attending weekly.

£98,000 for Worthing Theatres and Museum. Worthing Theatres and Museum run Worthing’s four theatres and museum, presenting a year-round programme of theatre, art, dance, music, film, exhibitions, and circus to 400,000 people in Worthing and beyond. It offers access to creativity and culture for all, removing barriers to engagement for underserved communities through community schemes such as low-cost tickets, diverse programming and participatory work.

Amanda O'Reilly, CEO of Worthing Theatres and Museum, said: “We are delighted to have received a grant from the Culture Recovery Fund Round 3. The funding will allow us to continue our work to enable everyone to access arts and heritage by creating shared experiences that entertain, educate and inspire, ensuring our vision to enrich people’s lives through arts and heritage.

“Specifically, the funding will support our work to communicate and engage with our community as we emerge from the pandemic and welcome audiences back into our venues. It will allow us to champion inclusivity, cultivate creativity and offer access to exceptional arts and heritage in the heart of Worthing; developing and showcasing a unique innovative programme that will surprise and delight our audiences.”

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Thom Milner-Smith, of Worthing’s Atom Promotions, also welcomed the support: “This award will continue to support our organisation as we transition out of the Covid-19 pandemic

“Atom Presents is a live music, club and comedy promoter and venue programmer based in Worthing. Our mission is to unite people at local live events, support communities and create memories. The funding will be used to further support our organisation as the market stabilises coming out of the Covid-19 pandemic, to support us to operate on a viable and sustainable basis by January 31 2022. It’ll support existing rescheduled and new events - ensuring we can deliver culture in Worthing and other towns in south-east UK.”

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries, said: “Culture is for everyone and should therefore be accessible to everyone, no matter who they are and where they’re from.

“Through unprecedented government financial support, the Culture Recovery Fund is supporting arts and cultural organisations so they can continue to bring culture to communities the length and breadth of the country, supporting jobs, boosting local economies and inspiring people.”

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Hazel Edwards, south east area director at Arts Council England, said: “Thanks to the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund, we’re pleased to be supporting some of the organisations that help make up the South East’s vibrant cultural and creative scene.

“From Brighton to Slough, and from Crawley to Margate, we’ve already seen how funding has helped our local art centres, theatres and other cultural organisations survive through the pandemic. With these latest awards, organisations which are at the very heart of our communities can continue to adjust to this new landscape – so audiences from all backgrounds can get back to making the most of everything that they have to offer.”

This latest round of funding builds on the over £1.2 billion already awarded from the unprecedented Culture Recovery Fund, supporting around 5000 individual organisations and sites across the country ranging from local museums to West End theatres, grassroots music venues to festivals, and organisations in the cultural and heritage supply-chains.

West Sussex grants:

Atom Promotions – £27,500

Chichester Festival Theatre – £348,261

Ensemble Reza – £24,435

Illustrated World Series – £27,500

KP Projects CIC – £25,003

Worthing Theatres and Museum – £98,000

Wowbagger Productions – £25,000

Grand total – £575,699