MORE than £60,000 has been handed over to Cheshire West and Chester Council from Government to support cultural events in the pandemic.

The authority has received a grant worth £60,434 as part of the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery.

It will be used to find new ways of delivering the council's cultural programmes sustainably during the coronavirus pandemic.

These include Cheshire Rural Touring Arts, West Cheshire Museums' Learning Offer and Cine Window Winsford.

Cllr Louise Gittins, CWAC leader, said: “We’re delighted to have been awarded these funds.

"The council’s cultural services play an important part in bringing communities together and improving the health and well-being of residents, especially those in isolated areas.

"Active involvement with culture and heritage can greatly help, even more so during these uncertain times with the effects and challenges of the pandemic.”

As with other arts organisations, the work of the council’s cultural services – which aim to boost health and wellbeing and reduce social isolation – has been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Many of the council’s services are normally supported by income from ticket sales, school visits and venue hire, and without this income they are at risk of not continuing.

The Government cash, distributed by the Arts Council England, will be used to:

  • Establish a digital platform for West Cheshire Museums as part of the learning offer for schools and communities
  • Support Cheshire Rural Touring Arts to work with its network of volunteer promoters to restart activity and pilot sustainable models of programming, including digital and Covid-secure performances
  • Support St. Mary’s Creative Space to continue to engage with its communities, audiences and performers
  • Continue Cine Window Winsford, an artist-film and media project in Winsford town centre, providing high quality cultural engagement and ownership of the co-created showcase.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: "This funding is a vital boost for the theatres, music venues, museums and cultural organisations that form the soul of our nation.

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"It will protect these special places, save jobs and help the culture sector’s recovery."