Selaine Saxby MP welcomes £3 million of funding of Government funding from the Cultural Investment Fund, to develop a new performance venue and creative space in Barnstaple.
The £3 million has been awarded as part of a £58.8 million pot from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to make sure that everyone, no matter where they live can access the UK’s world-renowned culture.
The funding will be used to develop two of Barnstaple’s historic buildings to support a programme of training and activities that inspire culture and creativity. The listed Bridge Chambers will be refurbished to create an accessible performing arts, learning, creation and performance venue. 36 Boutport Street will be fitted out to create a creating sustainable co-working, office and studio spaces for creative industries.
Selaine Saxby, MP for North Devon said:
“The £3 million of funding from the Cultural Investment Fund for North Devon Council to redevelop Bridge Chambers as an accessible performing arts venue, and 36 Boutport Street as a creative work space is hugely welcome.
“Alongside the £1 million of Arts Council funding for The Queen's Theatre in Barnstaple and The Landmark Theatre in Ilfracombe announced last year, this development will open up more opportunities for people to get involved in the arts, and learn creative skills. It will also complement the work being done to improve Barnstaple’s High Street with the funding from the Government’s Future High Street Fund."
More than 70 cultural organisations across the country are to be given a financial boost by the government so they can improve people’s access to arts, support local economic growth through culture and safeguard vital local collections for future generations.
The fund, which totals more than £200 million and was launched in 2019, is made up of three separate streams, the Cultural Development Fund, the Libraries Improvement Fund and the Museum Estate and Development Fund. It is designed to protect and improve people’s access to culture, regenerate communities, upgrade buildings and digital infrastructure and use investment to promote economic growth.
In this round of funding, £32.4 million has gone to eight Cultural Development Fund projects, £4.9 million to 27 projects as part of the Libraries Improvement Fund and £21.4 million has gone to 36 museums through the Museum Estate and Development Fund.
This announcement follows a big boost for the cultural sector in the Spring Budget with an extension of tax reliefs for theatres, orchestras, and museum and gallery exhibitions for a further two years. These tax reliefs have already supported thousands of theatre and orchestral productions, galleries and museums across the country, and the extension is set to help the cultural sector continue to attract new talent and investment from home and abroad.
Extending these tax reliefs builds on the support the government has provided to the creative sectors. This includes the £1.6 billion Culture Recovery Fund that supported more than 5,000 organisations throughout the pandemic.
Darren Henley, Chief Executive of Arts Council England said:
“Investment in creativity and culture is a catalyst for improving well-being and raising aspirations, reinvigorating pride in communities, regenerating high streets and local economies, and bringing people together. We are pleased to play a part in delivering the Cultural Investment Fund and this £58 million investment will help create new, or improve existing, cultural buildings and spaces in our villages, towns and cities. By doing so it will support recovery and growth and unlock the creative potential of those who live and work in communities across England.”
Duncan Wilson, Chief Executive of Historic England said:
“Culture, heritage and the arts all contribute to people’s sense of belonging and place. These grants will help to reinforce this and we welcome them.”
