Leeds Grand Theatre and Leeds Playhouse benefit from Government's Culture Recovery Fund

Theatres  in Leeds are among 26 organisations across West Yorkshire set to benefit from a £5.2m Government  funding boost designed to help them recover from the impact of the Covid pandemic.
Leeds PlayhouseLeeds Playhouse
Leeds Playhouse

Leeds Grand Theatre & Opera House Ltd is to get more than £1.2m from the Government's Culture Recovery Fund and Leeds Theatre Trust Limited - which runs Leeds Playhouse - is to get just under £500,000.

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Northern Ballet Limited will get £372,000 and the Leeds 2023 Year of Culture team will get £320,000.

Leeds Grand Theatre auditoriumLeeds Grand Theatre auditorium
Leeds Grand Theatre auditorium
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The funding is designed to support theatres, galleries, performance groups, arts organisations and local venues to reopen and recover following closures during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Chris Blythe is chief executive Officer of Leeds Heritage Theatres, which runs Leeds Grand Theatre, City Varieties Music Hall and Hyde Park Picture House.

He said: "Leeds Heritage Theatres is hugely grateful to receive ongoing support through the Culture Recovery Fund as we continue to rebuild our audiences whilst also finding new ways to adapt and grow in response to major industry and social changes which have come about as a result of the pandemic.

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"Throughout our closure, we have been reflecting on our organisation and its role in the Leeds City Region which we are so proud to serve.

"The support of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and the Arts Council have made it possible for us to begin to develop plans exploring how we can better reflect the city around us through our workforce, our audiences and the spectrum of work we help share both in and outside of our spaces.

"This grant will help us continue to work towards our ambitions to ensure our beautiful heritage venues remain relevant and sustainable for future generations.”

Leeds Playhouse Executive Director Robin Hawkes said: “Thank you to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Arts Council England and the Culture Recovery Fund.

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"This vital and ongoing support enables us to continue our industry-leading creative engagement work, support early career artists and create world class productions.”

Mark Hollander, executive director, Leeds 2023 Year of Culture, said: "We are extremely grateful to receive a Cultural Recovery Grant at this critical point in our journey.

"This vital funding will support our programme development and fundraising efforts, which have been impacted due to Covid.

"It will also strengthen our work with local communities, providing opportunities for artists and the creative sector in the region and beyond.”

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Ilkley Literature Festival has been awarded £27,000 and Akito Limited gets more than £57,000.

Alchemy Leeds Ltd gets more than £114,000 while Far Beyond Driven Ltd gets £62,072.

Live Art Bistro will benefit from more than £30,000 of funding while Lord Whitney gets more than £38,000, Map Charity gets £25,000 and Sound dept Ltd gets more than £25,000.

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