Boris Johnson pledges £1.5bn to arts sector
By Caoimhe Toman
Date: Monday 06 Jul 2020
(Sharecast News) - UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised the arts sector £1.57bn of help to survive the coronavirus crisis after theatres, music venues, museums and production companies where one of the worst hit by the effects of lockdown.
The package includes the £1.15bn support pot for cultural organisations in England, consisting of £270m in loans and £880m in grants.
The plan will also include £100m of targeted support for England's national cultural institutions and English Heritage and £120m of capital investment to restart construction on cultural infrastructure
The programme follows warnings of an irreversible cultural catastrophe if the government does not support the arts.
Cultural institutions including London's Old Vic, Shakespeare's Globe and the Royal Albert Hall had all said they were on the brink of closure in the absence of an investment package.
Boris Johnson said arts and culture were the soul of the nation. "They make our country great and are the lynchpin of our world-beating and fast-growing creative industries," the prime minister said.
"I understand the grave challenges the arts face and we must protect and preserve all we can for future generations, ensuring arts groups and venues across the UK can stay afloat and support their staff whilst their doors remain closed and curtains remain down."
The shadow culture secretary, Jo Stevens, said that while the package was "a much needed injection of cash", it was "too little too late" for many.
"It needs to reach theatres teetering on the brink fast - especially those across the towns and small cities where venues and arts orgs are so vital to local economies providing many interdependent jobs," she said on Twitter.
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