Recovery Fund Grant Provides Lifeline for Watermans

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Arts centre given £144,669 to cope with challenges of the pandemic

Watermans Arts Centre Brentford

The Watermans has been told that it is to receive £144,669 as part of the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund (CRF) to help face the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Brentford arts centre has been given the lifeline grant from Government’s £1.57bn Culture Recovery Fund £257 million of investment has been announced this week as part of the very first round of the grants programme being administered by Arts Council England.

Watermans is one of 1,385 cultural and creative organisations across the country receiving urgently needed support. Further rounds of funding in the cultural and heritage sector are due to be announced over the coming weeks. The fund is supporting cinemas, theatres, music venues, museums, galleries and heritage sites.

Watermans comprises a theatre, gallery, cinema and creative workshops and courses in its venue. It also leads large-scale outreach programmes across the borough of Hounslow and beyond, including Creative People and Places in Hounslow (ACE’s key investment in building arts engagement and infrastructure), and programming and producing Bell Square, outer London’s only purpose-built outdoor venue. Watermans is also a hub for artists, providing rehearsal space and supporting artists at the start of their careers, and for the families of disabled children for whom Watermans provides a year-round programme of cinema, theatre and creative activities.

The funding will enable Watermans to plan with more confidence for 2021.

Jan Lennox, Director of Watermans said, “This was such fantastic news to receive. It is recognition of the incredibly hard work our team has put in to respond to the pandemic creatively in order to keep serving our communities – launching digital programmes, reopening at the earliest possible opportunity and constantly innovating and diversifying the programme. This funding will allow us to look forward with much more confidence and take the risks necessary to keep bringing the best arts and culture to our communities and support artists to do that”

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said, “These places and projects are cultural beacons the length and breadth of the country. This unprecedented investment in the arts is proof this government is here for culture, with further support to come in the days and weeks ahead so that the culture sector can bounce back strongly.”

Chair, Arts Council England, Sir Nicholas Serota, said, “Theatres, museums, galleries, dance companies and music venues bring joy to people and life to our cities, towns and villages. This life-changing funding will save thousands of cultural spaces loved by local communities and international audiences”

October 12, 2020