Arts venues to share £3m coronavirus support fund

Several performing arts venues around Scotland will share a £3m fund to support them during the pandemic.

The Scottish Government has announced three organisations will benefit from support via Creative Scotland.

Aberdeen Performing Arts – which runs His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen Music Hall and The Lemon Tree – will receive £1.4m.

The Eden Court venue in Inverness will receive £800,000.

Edinburgh’s Capital Theatres – which operates the Festival Theatre, the King’s Theatre and The Studio – will receive £800,000.

Culture secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “This funding will help to secure the future of three of Scotland’s important independent performing arts charities, protecting jobs and addressing some of the financial pressures they are facing.

“These venues all receive UK and international touring work of major scale, make a significant contribution to the economy and support a network of arts organisations, artists and creatives at the heart of our cities and regions.

“The Scottish Government has allocated more than £120m of additional funding to support culture and heritage since the start of the pandemic, and we will continue to listen to the needs of the sectors.”

Jane Spiers, chief executive of Aberdeen Performing Arts, said: “This funding will go a long way towards helping us survive, thrive and play our part in the cultural and economic recovery of the north-east.

“As an arts charity with a high reliance on earned income and over 500 show cancellations to date through 2021 and into 2022, it provides us with a vital lifeline.”