£65m Covid funding secured for Scotland’s culture and events

The funding will support organisations and businesses in the creative sector including grassroot venues, museums, galleries and events.

A £65 million fund has been confirmed to support businesses and organisations in the culture sector including galleries, museums, grassroot venues and national performing companies (Lisa Flemming/PA)

(PA Media)

A £65 million fund has been confirmed to support cultural businesses, organisations and events.

Culture Secretary Angus Robertson said the sum will go towards supporting those in the sector who have been affected by the pandemic.

The money includes the £20 million of business support funding for culture and events that First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced on December 14, and the £27 million for culture and £17 million for events announced last week.

An additional £1 million of underspend from the existing events budget has also been added, the Scottish Government confirmed.

“These additional funds will help protect the livelihoods of the people working in the sector – and allow us to give further support to freelancers, culture organisations, venues and our national performing companies,” Mr Robertson said.

Details of a financial package worth £65 million for culture and major events have been confirmed by the Culture Secretary Angus Robertson (Jane Barlow/PA)

(PA Wire)

The government funding will be split five ways.

A total of £31.5 million will go to cultural businesses, organisations, venues and independent cinema support and grassroots venues.

National Performing Companies (for Christmas losses and touring fund re-purposing) will receive £2 million and freelancers £10 million.

£19.8 million will be given to the events sector, and museums, galleries and heritage will receive £1.7 million.

Creative Scotland which supports the arts, screen and creative industries across all parts of the country, has launched a “Cancellation Fund for Creative Freelancers” which opens for applications on Thursday this week at 2pm.

The fund has been set up to support creative freelancers working in the creative sectors who are experiencing immediate financial hardship due to the loss of income because of cancellations and deferrals caused by Covid

Creative Scotland’s chief executive Iain Munro said: “Our Cancellation Fund for Creative Freelancers is live, with applications open from January 6, and more information on support for organisations and venues will follow as soon as possible.”

The Scottish Government’s commitment of £19.8 million for Scotland’s events sector was welcomed by VisitScotland director of events Paul Bush.

He said EventScotland, which is part of VisitScotland, is currently working with the Scottish Government and the Event Industry Advisory Group (EIAG) to determine the best way of distributing the funding adding, “details will be shared shortly”.