Yorkshire live music venues among first to get grants from Culture Recovery Fund

Grassroots music venues in Yorkshire are among the first to get support from the Government's £1.57 billion package for the arts.
Old Red Bus Station, Leeds.Old Red Bus Station, Leeds.
Old Red Bus Station, Leeds.

Venues in Leeds, Sheffield and one in Hull are among the 135 to have been granted cash as part of the Culture Recovery Fund.

The Emergency Grassroot Music Venues Fund is being shared out to some of those who applied for support to survive the imminent risk of collapse caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

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An additional £1.1 million was also brought forward, increasing the fund from £2.25 million to £3.36 million.

In Leeds, venues to receive funding include: Alchemy Leeds, Blueberry Hill Studios, Soundblast and the Old Red Bus Station.

Sheffield venues included are: the Lughole, Record Junkee and Sidney & Matilda.

Hull's Newmeds Entertainment will also receive funding.

Mark Davyd, of the Music Venue Trust, said: "We warmly welcome this first distribution from the Culture Recovery Fund which will ensure that the short term future of these venues is secured while we continue to work on how we can ensure their long term sustainability.

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"Both DCMS and Arts Council England have worked very quickly to fully understand the imminent risk of permanent closure faced by a significant number of grassroots music venues across the country, and the funding they've brought forward creates a real breathing space for under pressure venues."

Culture Secretary, Oliver Dowden, said: “This Government is here for culture and these grants today show we are determined to help our exceptional music industry weather the covid storm and come back stronger.

“Grassroots music venues are where the magic starts and these emergency grants from our £1.57 billion fund will ensure these music venues survive to create the Adeles and Ed Sheerans of the future.

“I encourage music fans to help too by supporting music and cultural events as they start to get going again. We need a collective effort to help the things we love through covid.”

The Yorkshire venues will receive the following amounts:

Alchemy Leeds - £47,000

Blueberry Hill Studios - £20,000

Laura King - £11,010

Lughole £9,830

Newmeds Entertainment- £8,786

Record Junkie - £25,000

Sidney & Matilda - £39,900

Soundblast - £12,500

The Old Red Bus Station - 13,795