New guidance confirms that dance music events will be eligible to receive grants from £500 million relief fund.
Arts Council England have revealed details of a new £500 million cultural relief fund, which will provide support for dance music events. The fund aims to support cultural organisations that were financially stable before Covid-19, but are now facing serious risk of collapse. Up to £500 million is available, with grants ranging from £50,000 to £3 million.
The new fund comes amidst concerns that the nightlife industry would not be supported by the government’s £1.57 billion cultural rescue package. The Arts Council had initially specified that nightclubs were able to apply for a grant, but only if they offer a “significant live music programme”. Whilst £2.25 million was made available to music venues in the UK, it was unclear as to whether UK nightclubs would be eligible for financial support.
The ambiguity led to the establishment of the #LETUSDANCE campaign, urging the government to extend funding to nightclubs, dance music events and festivals. Backed by the likes of Fatboy Slim, Massive Attack and Daniel Avery, over 5,000 letters were sent to local MPs, encouraging them to take action.
Arts Council England has now confirmed that venues which “create, present or support” the genres of electronic music “including house, electronica, drum & bass, dubstep, experimental”, as well as “hip-hop, R&B, grime, rap and jungle” are eligible for the grant.
“The huge support for the #LetUsDance campaign showed the significance of Electronic Music Events in so many people’s lives,” says Greg Marshall, General Manager of the Association For Electronic Music (AFEM). “This was a passionate call for government recognition of the genre within arts and culture.”
“This is a positive step forward,” states Night Time Industries Association CEO Michael Kill. “But we must maintain pressure on government to gain clarity on the roadmap for businesses that are still unable to open, and fight for further support to ensure their survive this crisis”.
Full details on eligibility and how to apply are available on the Arts Council website.
📷 Fabric London