Brass Bands England to receive £43,136 from second round of the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund

Brass Bands England has received a grant of £43,136 from the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund to help the organisation recover and reopen.

More than £300 million has been awarded to thousands of cultural organisations across the country, including Brass Bands England, in the latest round of support from the Culture Recovery Fund, the Culture Secretary announced today.

• Brass Bands England among more than 2,700 recipients to benefit from the latest round of awards from the £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund

• This award will support BBE’s flagship rejuvenation project, Brass Foundations, and the creation of further members’ resources

Brass Bands England, originally formed in 1968 and based in South Yorkshire, is the Arts Council England’s Sector Support Organisation for brass bands. It serves 427 member organisations encompassing over 550 individual bands and 18,000 individuals. Included in BBE’s wide-ranging services are its ground-breaking BandSafe safeguarding training scheme, product discounts, and seminars on band governance and artistic development. During 2020-21, Brass Bands England has worked closely with the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport in providing detailed advice and risk assessments throughout Covid-19.

This award will support the continuation of BBE’s recently launched Brass Foundations project, which has seen the appointment of youth development brass specialists in five areas of England. These specialists have been brokering vital links between education, music hubs and community bands. The funding will also contribute to further development of Brass Bands England’s website as an information hub for both member bands and the wider sector. Further plans include enhanced resource content for members, continuation of the Brass Band Archive project, and the return to office activity post-pandemic.

Over £800 million in grants and loans has already been awarded to support almost 3,800 cinemas, performance venues, museums, heritage sites and other cultural organisations dealing with the immediate challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.

The second round of awards made today will help organisations to look ahead to the spring and summer and plan for reopening and recovery. After months of closures and cancellations to contain the virus and save lives, this funding will be a much-needed helping hand for organisations transitioning back to normal in the months ahead.

Culture Secretary, Oliver Dowden, said:

“Our record breaking Culture Recovery Fund has already helped thousands of culture and heritage organisations across the country survive the biggest crisis they’ve ever faced.

Now we’re staying by their side as they prepare to welcome the public back through their doors – helping our cultural gems plan for reopening and thrive in the better times ahead.”

Brass Bands England Chairman, Mike Kilroy, said: “These are challenging and uncertain times for everyone in the arts community, so we are very thankful that brass bands have been recognised by this award from the Culture Recovery Fund. This will provide resources for the continuation of our Brass Foundations project, which is already paying dividends in bringing together local education authority music hubs and community brass bands. This work is also key in areas of equality, diversity and inclusion, on which the foundations of brass bands will be built as we work towards a successful and sustainable future.”

Sir Nicholas Serota, Chair, Arts Council England, said:

“Investing in a thriving cultural sector at the heart of communities is a vital part of helping the whole country to recover from the pandemic. These grants will help to re-open theatres, concert halls, and museums and will give artists and companies the opportunity to begin making new work.

We are grateful to the Government for this support and for recognising the paramount importance of culture to our sense of belonging and identity as individuals and as a society.”

The funding awarded today is from a £400 million pot which was held back last year to ensure the Culture Recovery Fund could continue to help organisations in need as the public health picture changed. The funding has been awarded by Arts Council England, as well as Historic England and National Lottery Heritage Fund and the British Film Institute.