U.K. DOLES OUT RECOVERY CASH (UPDATE)

The U.K. Government has announced the first recipients of a £257m share of its £1.57b cultural recovery fund, which include venues, promoters, agencies, theaters and orchestras. The Music Venue Trust has welcomed the news while musicians body ISM says the funds are insufficient to stimulate a “cultural bounce back.”

Among those to have received funding are 22 independent festivals, which have been given £4.5m collectively to remain afloat. In addition, The Cavern Club in Liverpool will get £525,000 to fund the recording and broadcast of live streams from local musicians, and The Brudenell Social Club in Leeds will receive over £220,000 to host a free weekly event and live streams.

Other recipients (which total nearly 1,400 theatres, galleries, performance groups, arts organizations, museums and local venues) include London's 100 Club, Manchester's Deaf Institute, promoter and venue owner DHP Family, Earth Music Agency, the Independent Label Market in London, online electronic music mag Resident Advisor, Rough Trade retail, music charity Urban Development and Paradigm agency.

Music Venues Trust CEO Mark Dayvd said the funds are “a huge step forward in the efforts to reopen every venue safely. We want to recognise the efforts of the government, particularly the Secretary of State and the Chancellor, to understand what was required by grassroots music venues, develop a solution, and make it happen.”

Deborah Annetts, Chief Executive of the Incorporated Society of Musicians, welcomed the funding but warned that arts venues and performers need more support to be able to reopen with social distancing safety requirements. Alongside musicians lobbying group Musicians Movement, ISM is campaigning for a freelance performers support scheme that includes a cultural exemption on VAT for tickets and a guaranteed fee for each performer.

“With musicians' livelihoods on the line, we are calling on the U.K. government to truly provide a ‘vital boost for the culture sector’s recovery’ by implementing funding that doesn’t just help the arts survive, but enables them to thrive once again,” Annetts said.

Welcoming the announcement, UK Music CEO Jamie Njoku-Goodwin said: "It is a huge vote of confidence in the £5.2b U.K. music industry, and recognizes that our industry will be a key part of the post-pandemic recovery."

Geoff Taylor, Chief Executive BPI, BRIT Awards and Mercury Prize, added: "This will not only help sustain our cultural life, it will make it easier for music to bounce back as a major driver of economic growth."

Those to have received funding applied for grants under £1m with the total given out so far reaching £360m. Further funding for organizations is due to be announced in the coming days and weeks.