Stuart WoodA number of high-profile music venues in London have failed to receive funding from the governments Culture Recovery Fund.
Printworks, The Egg, Studio 338, Oval Spaces and The Pickle Factory are among the venues which applied for funding but were unsuccessful.
The second round of funding was released on Friday 16 October, with a number of festivals, venues and arts organisations receiving vital funds to help them through the Covid-19 crisis. Many more, however, were left with no financial assistance and no income.
Simeon Aldred, creative director of Vibration Group and venue owner of Printworks, said: “[I am] devastated to hear from the arts council that we did not fit their criteria for a culture recovery fund grant to save venues like Printworks, Depot Mayfield, The Drumsheds (pictured) and Exhibition. Can someone please help me understand how a company that is privately owned and run by a small team that have built this from scratch with our own money – and created as voted by DJs and the audiences some of the most important venues in the UK and possibly the world – are not being given even one penny?
“We generated 34,000 freelance shifts at our shows last year and paid millions in VAT and tax. Many of our contemporaries in the UK got the grant (which I am pleased about) but we have not been given a penny. I have to say on a personal note I am completely broken by this.”
Laurence Malice, brand manager/creative director, Egg LDN commented: “We are devastated by the news we will not be supported by funding from the Cultural Recovery Fund. Egg London has and always had over the last 17 years a large outreach ethos from setting up workshops with the local council estate projects to show the community that there are other ways to live your life outside of crime.
“We support grassroots DJs and promoters and live events by offering Cell 200 to many free of hire fees to help cultivate new talent within the community.”
Jo Splain, of The Pickle Factory/Oval Space, added: “I am still at a loss as to how our venues have not received any support from the Cultural Recovery Fund. We are renowned for the depth and quality of our events programme and for our importance to a long list of underrepresented communities, movements, artists and creatives with whom we work and welcome on a daily basis.”
“Yes, the ethos behind our programming is most certainly rooted in club culture, and we are proud of this, the celebration of diversity, inclusivity and it’s disruptive nature. But, if spaces more closely aligned with authentic club culture have for some reason been overlooked by this fund, then there simply must be alternative financial support made available to them.”
Photo by Jake Davis @HungryVisuals