“This lifeline will come too late for some” The Lowry in Salford responds to emergency arts funding

The CEO of the Lowry has spoken out regarding the £1.5 billion emergency investment in the arts.

The funding was announced yesterday, as a means of supporting the struggling arts industry as it weathers the impacts of the pandemic.

Julia Fawcett OBE, chief executive of The Lowry, said: “The announcement of £1.57bn of emergency investment in the UK’s culture sector is welcome news, but we are fast running out of time.

“This lifeline will come too late for some organisations who have already been forced to close their doors for good or made valued employees redundant.

“While we await precise details of the funding mechanisms, I would remind Government that the priority now must be to get these much-needed funds to the organisations most at risk – and fast.

“In doing so, they can help save programmes of work and thousands of jobs across our sector that will otherwise fall victim to COVID.”

Rishi Sunak, Chancellor of the Exchequer said:

Our world-renowned galleries, museums, heritage sites, music venues and independent cinemas are not only critical to keeping our economy thriving, employing more than 700,000 people, they’re the lifeblood of British culture.”