7 April 2021
£437,447 funding boost to support cultural and heritage sites in The Cotswolds
  • £437,447 is being provided to help iconic cultural and heritage organisations in The Cotswolds reopen and recover.
     
  • Across the country, more than 2,700 culture and heritage organisations and independent cinemas are being supported to survive and thrive with nearly £400 million.
     
  • This is part of the unprecedented Culture Recovery Fund, worth almost £2 billion, the largest one-off investment in the arts in our history.

Sir Geoffrey Clifton Brown MP has welcomed the announcement that The Cotswolds will receive £437,447 to support iconic cultural and heritage organisations and independent cinemas as they reopen and recover from coronavirus.

This is part of the £400 million in grants and loans being delivered to over 2,700 organisations across England, to help cultural and heritage organisations reopen and thrive in the better times ahead.

The recipients of the grants in the Cotswolds include; The Holfords of Westonbirt Trust, Chavenage House Partnership, Parochial Church Council of Cirencester with Watermoor and St Lawrence, Court Barn, Fretwork, Corinium Museum, La Serenissima and The Barn Theatre Project.

This brings the Conservative Government's total investment across grants, capital and repayable finance from the Culture Recovery Fund so far to more than £1.2 billion across over 5,000 individual cultural and heritage organisations and sites.

Nearly all of the original £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund has now been allocated, and the Chancellor announced a further £300 million boost for the Fund at last month’s Budget, taking direct government investment in the sector since the start of the pandemic to almost £2 billion.

The Cotswolds has fantastic history, culture, and green spaces which must be supported and I have fought throughout lockdown for them to receive the funding they need to survive.

Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP

Commenting, Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP said:

“The past year has had a devastating impact on cultural and heritage organisations in The Cotswolds, so it is fantastic news that £437,447 is being provided to support these most valued organisations. Back in October 2020 I welcomed the first round of the Culture Recovery Fund Grants programme that provided two grants worth £470,521 million to The Barn Theatre Project and the Corinium Museum.  The Cotswolds has fantastic history, culture, and green spaces which must be supported and I have fought throughout lockdown for them to receive the funding they need to survive.

“I’m really excited that as the economy begins to reopen, we’ll soon be able to enjoy these extraordinary institutions once again, and I’m delighted that the support is being put in place to help them thrive in the future.”

Oliver Dowden, Culture Secretary, 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.”