Multi-million pound windfall announced for arts projects

A total of six organisations will receive Lottery funding in the latest round of grants which was announced yesterday by the Arts Council.

The biggest award of £3.9m will go to Square Chapel Centre for the Arts in Halifax to build an extension to the existing Grade II listed building and radically improve facilities.

The Arts Council England’s regional director, Cluny Macpherson, said: “The fact that there’s demand amongst communities for arts and cultural activity despite hard times, proves that the arts is something that people in Yorkshire really value.”

The Art House in Wakefield will receive £1.3m to convert a neighbouring former library building, while four other organisations in the region have been given grants.

Doncaster’s new performance venue, Cast, will be handed £499,409, Heads Together in Leeds will receive £327,351, Project Space Leeds has been awarded £225,500, and Doncaster Community Arts (Darts) will get £148,633.

Initial bids from the York Royal Theatre and Sheffield Theatres have also progressed to the next round of funding - although grants are not guaranteed.

York Theatre Royal is hoping to secure £2.9m to extend its existing building and create a new performance space, while Sheffield Theatres is applying for £1m towards a proposed scheme to improve the technical facilities of the Grade II listed Lyceum Theatre.

Sheffield Theatres alone has seen its grant from Sheffield Council slashed by 20 per cent due to the Government’s austerity drive.

email [email protected]