Gloucester Guildhall has been awarded a grant of £230,702 from Arts Council England to enhance its programme of live and digital performances for ‘Guildhall Galvanised’.
With Gloucester being an Arts Council England ‘priority place’, the funding will help facilitate more music, dance and spoken word performances by improving rehearsal and performance spaces at the city centre venue – as well as refurbishing the bar to help generate more income for the Guildhall.
Gloucester Guildhall is one of just six venues in the south west that have been awarded funding. Grants ranged from £100,000 to £750,000, with applicants having to demonstrate how their project addressed all four of the investment principles of Arts Council England’s 10-year Let’s Create strategy – ambition and quality; inclusivity and relevance; dynamism; and environmental responsibility – to ensure organisations receiving the funding create greater benefits to the public and the local community.
Nationally, Arts Council England has provided £22.7 million in funding to 66 cultural organisations, building on the investment from the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, with the overall aim of strengthening and futureproofing the country’s cultural infrastructure and ensuring people can continue to enjoy high-quality cultural and creative experiences locally.
Cabinet Member for culture and leisure at Gloucester City Council, Councillor Andy Lewis, said: ‘It’s fantastic news that Gloucester Guildhall is getting this investment to support our future plans. Gloucester Guildhall is the beating heart of live music and performance in the city and is much loved by our residents and visitors.
‘With this investment, the team will be able to do even more to bring world-class acts to our city as well as improve facilities for our audiences and opportunities for our local communities to experience live music, dance, comedy, cinema and much more. We are very grateful for the investment from the Arts Council and this endorsement of our future ambitions that will help secure the future success of the Gloucester Guildhall.’
Phil Gibby, area director for Arts Council England in the south west, added: ‘These organisations already play an important role in their local communities, and this investment will allow them to improve access, seize on technological opportunities, and reduce their environmental impact, thereby strengthening their cultural offer. As a result, more people in more places will have access to high quality and sustainable culture, right on their doorsteps.
‘We look forward to seeing these projects develop and cannot wait to witness the impact of this investment across the region. We believe in the power of the arts, and these organisations are helping us to achieve the 10-year vision we set out in Let’s Create.’
