Bridgwater GUY FAWKES Carnival to receive £54,117 from second round of the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund
- Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival is among more than 2,700 recipients to benefit from the latest round of awards from the £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund
- This award will help to offset the ongoing costs for Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival and its associated carnival clubs to help recovery and to prepare for the future
Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival has received a grant of £54,117 from the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund to help the organisation recover and reopen.
More than £300 million has been awarded to thousands of cultural organisations across the country including Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival in the latest round of support from the Culture Recovery Fund, the Culture Secretary announced today.
Although Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival has reluctantly taken the decision to cancel its annual carnival festivities for a second year, the organisation and its associated local carnival clubs still face financial expenditure for insurances, utility services, maintenance of premises and the like. Some of these outlays has depleted the small reserves that carnival had in store and clubs have also relied on the goodwill of some members to help them through this difficult time.
Over £800 million in grants and loans has already been awarded to support almost 3,800 cinemas, performance venues, museums, heritage sites and other cultural organisations dealing with the immediate challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.
The second round of awards made today will help organisations to look ahead to the spring and summer and plan for reopening and recovery. After months of closures and cancellations to contain the virus and save lives, this funding will be a much-needed helping hand for organisations transitioning back to normal in the months ahead.
Culture Secretary, Oliver Dowden, 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.”
Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival’s chairman, Dave Croker, said:
“Covid-19 restrictions have affected the ability of the organising committee and local carnival clubs to raise funds, not just to cover the costs required to stage carnival events and to create the amazing carnival entries, but also to meet our ongoing day-to-day financial commitments. Bills still have to be paid for the likes of insurance, electricity, rent and maintenance. Carnival has had to dip into its reserves to meet some of these commitments and this grant will help us to recover from the effects of the pandemic much quicker and prepare for the day when normal carnival activities return.”
Sir Nicholas Serota, Chair, Arts Council England, said:
“Investing in a thriving cultural sector at the heart of communities is a vital part of helping the whole country to recover from the pandemic. These grants will help to re-open theatres, concert halls, and museums and will give artists and companies the opportunity to begin making new work. We are grateful to the Government for this support and for recognising the paramount importance of culture to our sense of belonging and identity as individuals and as a society.”
The funding awarded today is from a £400 million pot which was held back last year to ensure the Culture Recovery Fund could continue to help organisations in need as the public health picture changed. The funding has been awarded by Arts Council England, as well as Historic England and National Lottery Heritage Fund and the British Film Institute.
