Thank you for contacting me about support for the performing arts during coronavirus.
I very much regret the impact that coronavirus has had on performing arts in our country, and look forward to when our treasured cultural sector can make a full return.
While I appreciate that the 28-day closures of entertainment facilities that apply from 5 November will inevitably be a further blow, it does not invalidate the work being done with representatives of the entertainment and events industry to develop supporting guidance, which represents a vital step in the roadmap to recovery for our nations’ theatres.
I strongly welcome the £1.57 billion rescue package that has been announced to help Britain’s globally renowned arts, culture and heritage industries weather the impact of coronavirus. More than £500 million has already been allocated to nearly 2,500 cultural organisations and venues of all sizes, including cinemas, heritage sites, museums, circuses, festivals and comedy clubs across the country, to help them plan for reopening and restarting performances and programmes. The certainty and security these grants provide will also help create opportunities for freelancers. Most recently, £75 million was allocated to protect some of the nation’s most significant stages.
This package builds on earlier support measures, including a £160 million emergency response package announced by Arts Council England in March. Further details can be found on the Arts Council’s website (https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/covid19).
The establishment of the Entertainment and Events Working Group was also very welcome. The Working Group informs and supports the work of the Cultural Renewal Taskforce headed by the Culture Secretary, which is working to find innovative ways to reopen the arts sector as soon as possible.
The Government has confirmed that comedy venues and organisations are eligible for support through the rescue package, just like other performing art forms. It is also most welcome that the Live Comedy Association is one of the trade bodies represented on the Entertainment and Events Working Group, which will help ensure that the voice of the industry is properly heard.
This pandemic presents a significant challenge to the night time industries. The cultural package will include some businesses operating in the night time economy, and detailed guidance on eligibility will be published as soon as possible. While it is extensive, it cannot support every organisation. There are a number of financial packages available to support nightclubs, including business rates relief, grants, and the Bounceback Loan Scheme. There has also been a new code of practice for commercial property.
The Culture Secretary announced that the first tranche of funding from the £1.57 billion cultural recovery package would be used to save around 150 grassroots music venues from insolvency.
£2.25 million of emergency funding is supporting venues at imminent risk of collapse. Grants of up to £80,000 to help venues survive the next few months, to cover essential on-going costs for venues including rent, utilities, maintenance contracts and other bills.
The business rates retail discount has been extended to 100 per cent and is applicable to music venues irrespective of rateable value.
In the event that you are a self-employed worker and have lost income due to coronavirus, I urge you to apply for the coronavirus Self-Employed Income Support Scheme. I welcome the SEISS Grant Extension, which will provide critical support to the self-employed at a level similar to the new Jobs Support Scheme. The initial extension grant will cover 40 per cent of average monthly trading profits, paid out in a single instalment covering 3 months’ worth of profits, and capped at £3,750 in total. I also welcome that, from January, outstanding income tax self-assessment payments can be extended for 12 months.
Finally, I know the Secretary of State, Ministers and DCMS officials continue to consult the creative and cultural sectors extensively to ensure they understand fully the potential impacts of the Covid-19 outbreak on the sector. DCMS officials and ministers have also held regular calls with representatives from across the arts and cultural sector and these have included representatives from the Royal Shakespeare Company and a number of dance schools and representatives including Sadler’s Wells and Northern Ballet.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.
Craig Whittaker MP
November 2020