Cultural organisations to receive slice of £30m Weston Culture Fund to cope with impact of Covid
Three cultural organisations in Cornwall have received a share of the £30m Weston Culture Fund
The Newlyn Art Gallery in Newlyn (Image: Newlyn Art Gallery)
Three cultural organisations in Cornwall will receive a share of £30 million to help them cope with the pandemic and lockdowns.
Kneehigh Theatre Trust in Truro, Cornwall, was awarded £282,030, while the National Maritime Museum Cornwall in Falmouth received £117,650 and the Newlyn Art Gallery and The Exchange received £128,544 from the Garfield Weston Foundation’s Weston Culture Fund.
They are among 100 organisations in the UK to receive similar funding to help minimise the impact of Covid-19.
The Weston Culture Fund honours the UK’s creative and cultural organisations which, while battling huge challenges of their own, endeavour to make life better for the rest of us.
Philippa Charles, director of the foundation said: “Our much-loved museums, galleries, cultural centres and creative arts organisations are among the best in the world. The Weston Culture Fund was created in response to Covid-19 which has had a devastating impact.
“The fund aimed to support the sector to restart its work, refresh activities and re-engage audiences following Covid-19 closures. These organisations not only bring joy and wonder into our lives, but also play a vital role in their communities through learning and outreach; not to mention the wider employment and volunteering opportunities they create.
“The scale of need was evident with requests totalling over £128 million. While it was never going to be possible to stretch the fund that far, our Trustees were impressed by the ingenuity and solidarity of the sector and were delighted to increase the fund by over 20% from its initial £25 million, granting over £30 million in total.”
The Newlyn Art Gallery and the Exchange said the cash will help reconfigure the entrance at The Exchange and repurpose two currently under-used adjoining spaces to create a single large, digitally-equipped art space that is safely accessible to participating audiences from school and community groups to workshop participants.
New resources will be brought in as well with cameras, editing software, light/sound to help create a rich and interactive online programme that complements what’s happening in-gallery.
The art gallery said part of the money will also go towards expanding its remote programming as a way to reach out to isolated audiences and communities.
James Green, director of Newlyn Art Gallery and the Exchange said: “We are thrilled with this investment.
"It’s a credit to the whole team here - trustees, volunteers and staff, for their commitment to supporting our communities during this most difficult of years. This award is truly transformational.”
Shine a spotlight on your neighbourhood by becoming an Area Ambassador. Click here to learn more!
