- Clifton Suspension Bridge Trust Visitor Centre is among more than 2,700 recipients to benefit from the latest round of awards from the £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund
- This award will be used to support the work of staff and volunteers in safely reopening the Clifton Suspension Bridge Visitor Centre and developing new Covid-safe offers for visitors.
Clifton Suspension Bridge Visitor Centre in Bristol has received a grant of £46,039 from the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund to help the organisation recover and reopen.
More than £300 million has been awarded to thousands of cultural organisations across the country including Clifton Suspension Bridge Visitor Centre in the latest round of support from the Culture Recovery Fund, the Culture Secretary announced on Friday 2nd April.
The Bridge’s Visitor Centre, which usually welcomes around 80,000 visitors each year, was closed during the 2020 lockdowns and lost the majority of its income, normally raised through sales of tour tickets, and in-person donations and shop sales. The Culture Recovery Fund grant will support the Visitor Centre in covering the costs of reopening as well as welcoming back its volunteer team under Covid-safe conditions and supporting staff to adapt educational programmes for school and family visitors.
Over £800 million in grants and loans has already been awarded to support almost 3,800 cinemas, performance venues, museums, heritage sites and other cultural organisations dealing with the immediate challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.
The second round of awards made today will help organisations to look ahead to the spring and summer and plan for reopening and recovery. After months of closures and cancellations to contain the virus and save lives, this funding will be a much needed helping hand for organisations transitioning back to normal in the months ahead.
Culture Secretary, Oliver Dowden, said:
“Our record-breaking Culture Recovery Fund has already helped thousands of culture and heritage organisations across the country survive the biggest crisis they’ve ever faced.
Now we’re staying by their side as they prepare to welcome the public back through their doors – helping our cultural gems plan for reopening and thrive in the better times ahead.”
Chair of Trustees Chris Booy, said:
“We are very grateful to the Arts Council and Government for this funding, which will make a huge difference to the recovery of the Visitor Centre in the run up to reopening. Like thousands of venues across the country we can’t wait to reopen and we have already started developing some Covid-safe bridge tours for the summer season. The team have worked incredibly hard throughout this difficult year and we are looking forward to welcoming everyone back.”
Sir Nicholas Serota, Chair, Arts Council England, said:
“Investing in a thriving cultural sector at the heart of communities is a vital part of helping the whole country to recover from the pandemic. These grants will help to re-open theatres, concert halls, and museums and will give artists and companies the opportunity to begin making new work.
We are grateful to the Government for this support and for recognising the paramount importance of culture to our sense of belonging and identity as individuals and as a society.”
The funding awarded today is from a £400 million pot which was held back last year to ensure the Culture Recovery Fund could continue to help organisations in need as the public health picture changed. The funding has been awarded by Arts Council England, as well as Historic England and National Lottery Heritage Fund and the British Film Institute.