Agenda item

ACCEPTANCE OF CULTURE RECOVERY AND HERITAGE GRANTS

The purpose of this report is to advise Committee of the award of a round two Arts Council England (ACE) culture recovery fund and leisure recovery fund, totalling £527,000.

Minutes:

The Executive Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report advising the Committee of the award of a round two Arts Council England (ACE) culture recovery fund and leisure recovery fund, totalling £527,000.

The report explained that there had been three separate successful bids, as follows:

·      in January 2021 Arts Council England announced a second round of Culture Recovery Funding to provide grants to support cultural organisations as they transitioned back to a viable and sustainable operating model during April-June 2021.  The council had submitted a bid for up to £487,000 to round two of the culture recovery fund to support the reopening of The Hexagon, South Street and Reading Museum and in March 2021 the Council was notified that it had been successful with its bid for the full amount.

·      In June 2020, the Council had submitted an Expression of Interest to Historic England for a grant to their Covid-19 Emergency Heritage at Risk Response Fund to repairs some of the Grade II listed chest tombs in St Laurence’s Churchyard.  A round 2 application was submitted in November and in January 2021 the Council was notified that it had been successful with its bid of £25,000.

·      In February 2021 the Council had submitted an application to Arts Council England under the project grant funding, for £15,000 to support specific artistic and cultural activities to the celebrate the 900th anniversary of the founding of Reading Abbey at Water fest. in May 2021 the council was informed it had been successful with its bid.

The report further explained that these organisations had provided the Council with limited windows within which to accept the grants, and that the Council had accepted the grants within the grant offer acceptance period.

Resolved:

(1)      That the successful applications and acceptance of Arts Council England’s culture recovery fund grant of £487,000, Historic England’s Covid-19 Emergency Heritage at Risk Response Fund grant of £25,000 and Arts Council England’s project grant fund of £15,000 by the Executive Director for Environment, Neighbourhoods and Economic Growth be noted;

(2)      That the Executive Director for Environment, Neighbourhoods and Economic Growth, in consultation with the Lead Councillor for Culture, Heritage & Recreation, be granted authority to allocate the grant funding of £487,000 from the Arts Council England’s culture recovery fund to support The Hexagon, South Street and Reading Museum as they transitioned back to a viable and sustainable operating model;

(3)      That the Executive Director for Environment, Neighbourhoods and Economic Growth, in consultation with the Lead Councillor for Culture, Heritage & Recreation, be granted authority to allocate the grant fund of £25,000 from Historic England’s Covid-19 Emergency Heritage at Risk Response Fund for the repairs and conservation of six of the listed chest tombs within St Laurence’s Churchyard;

(4)      That the Executive Director for Environment, Neighbourhoods and Economic Growth, in consultation with the Lead Councillor for Culture, Heritage & Recreation be granted authority to allocate the grant fund of £15,000 from Arts Council England’s project grant funding to support agreed specific cultural activities for the celebration of the 900th anniversary of the founding of Reading Abbey at Water Fest on the 19 June 2021.

 

Supporting documents: