Last week, Diverse City received £69,940 from the second round of the government’s Culture Recovery Fund. We are among more than 2,700 recipients to benefit from the latest awards from the £1.57 billion pot. This new Culture Recovery Grant combined with our first one gives us £345,630. We will use the money to do our part in rebuilding culture with inclusion at its heart.
Buying an accessible Big Top Tent
The financial support we received enables us to de-risk our next steps by having alternatives for every scenario. Most excitingly, it enable us to buy a bespoke, accessible mobile touring venue – a Big Top Tent. Thanks to the tent, we will house and tour Extraordinary Bodies, our collaboration with Cirque Bijou, in partnership with other companies and co-producers. This ambitious project means that we can get audiences safely back into a magical, semi-outdoor space and create a long term home for disabled and non-disabled artists that fits around their needs and talents.
Employing artists and creatives
The Culture Recovery Grant money also enables us to employ around 40 people, including:
- Film and design teams to capture our new Extraordinary Bodies show ‘Human’ and guarantee it reaches audiences even if restrictions return.
- Understudies, so illness or self-isolation don’t disrupt us.
- A Covid-19 Marshall to keep our teams and future audiences safe.
- Commissioned artists to create film and audio pitches of ‘Mid Life: The Skin We’re In’ and ‘Delicate’.
Nurturing our communities
The grant also sets us up for the technical, access and wellbeing needs of professional, youth and community teams to ensure artistic training continues. Our Culture Recovery Grants are helping us on the long road out of the pandemic with innovation and optimism.
“We are so pleased to have been successful in our Culture Recovery Fund application. This financial support will ensure Diverse City is in best position to pursue our creative aspirations. It will help us secure our current plans and give us a welcome degree of certainty in these difficult times.”
– Jamie Beddard, Co-Artistic Director
This funding comes from a £400 million pot which was held back last year to ensure the fund could continue to help organisations in need as the public health picture changed. Arts Council England, Historic England, National Lottery Heritage Fund and the British Film Institute awarded this funding together.
Press enquiries: You can arrange interviews with Diverse City’s Co-Artistic Directors Claire Hodgson MBE and Jamie Beddard, or with Billy Alwen, Co-Artistic Director of Extraordinary Bodies and Cirque Bijou. To do so, please contact Becky via e-mail at [email protected] or on the phone at 07952 619 763.
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