Supporting flagship cultural venues

Three flagship venues will receive funding as part of the ongoing emergency coronavirus (COVID-19) support for cultural and heritage organisations.

Capital Theatres – which operates the Festival Theatre, the King’s Theatre and The Studio in Edinburgh – will receive £500,000 in addition to £250,000 already awarded through the Performing Arts Venue Relief Fund to help weather the effects of the pandemic.

The Burrell Renaissance Project in Glasgow has been awarded £750,000 to help cover increased project costs caused by the COVID-19 crisis and V&A Dundee will receive £1 million of support.

The funding is part of the Scottish Government’s commitment to support culture and heritage sectors as they recover from the impacts of COVID-19. So far almost £98 million of emergency funding has been allocated. 

Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said:

“Culture is vitally important to all of our lives, and the Scottish Government is determined to do everything within our powers to see the sector through this crisis. This includes providing financial support to our flagship cultural venues, as well as the work already underway to help smaller organisations and individuals within the culture sector.

“This latest funding announcement brings the Scottish Government’s total COVID-19 support package for our culture and heritage sectors to just under £98 million. We know further support will still be needed, and the major issues presented by the pandemic are not going away, which is why we will continue to work in partnership with the sector to support them to not only survive the pandemic but to thrive in future.”

CEO of Capital Theatres Fiona Gibson said:

“Today’s emergency funding announcement from the Scottish Government for Capital Theatres is greatly appreciated. It is the short-term financial lifeline that we have campaigned tirelessly for in recent months. 

“We would very much like to thank the Scottish Government for their support and recognition, acknowledging the crucial contribution our theatres provide to the local, national and cultural sector economies. This will enable us to continue supporting our core staff, freelancers and communities alike.”

Background

Scottish Government emergency COVID-19 funding for cultural and heritage sectors also includes:

• £12.5 million for Performing Arts Events Venues Relief Fund
• £2.2 million for Grassroots Music Venues
• £4 million for Museums Recovery and Resilience Fund
• £10 million for the Events sector
• £3.8 million for National Trust for Scotland to protect jobs
• £15 million for a Culture Organisations and Venues Recovery Fund
• £5 million to address hardship faced by creative freelancers
• £5 million to support artists developing new creative work that will make a significant contribution to Scotland’s recovery from COVID-19
• £3.5 million for independent cinemas
• £3 million for youth arts, including the Youth Music Initiative
• £21.3 million for Historic Environment Scotland
• £5.9 million to support heritage organisations through committed grants
• £270,000 for the New Lanark Trust World Heritage site
• £4 million for historic environment recovery
• £1 million for Scotland’s Science Centres