Mercury Theatre To Receive £125,000 From Third Round Of The Government's Culture Recovery Fund

More than £100 million has been awarded to hundreds of cultural organisations across the country including the Mercury Theatre in the latest round of support from the Culture Recovery Fund, the Culture Secretary announced today.

The Mercury Theatre in Colchester has been awarded a grant of £125,000 by Arts Council England South East. This award will enable the Mercury to continue to offer a broad range of community activities for adults and young people and to present an exciting programme of performances in the theatre and studio. Audiences and participants are returning cautiously to theatre but not yet at a pre-COVID Level. This award helps to ensure the Mercury remains at the heart of cultural life in Colchester, including offering employment to many freelancers that have suffered major financial losses during the pandemic.

The third round of funding will support organisations from all corners of the sector as they deal with ongoing reopening challenges, ensuring they can thrive in better times ahead.

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said:

"Culture is for everyone and should therefore be accessible to everyone, no matter who they are and where they're from.

"Through unprecedented government financial support, the Culture Recovery Fund is supporting arts and cultural organisations so they can continue to bring culture to communities the length and breadth of the country, supporting jobs, boosting local economies and inspiring people."

Over £1.2 billion has already been awarded from the unprecedented Culture Recovery Fund, supporting around 5000 individual organisations and sites across the country ranging from local museums to West End theatres, grassroots music venues to festivals, and organisations in the cultural and heritage supply-chains.

Steve Mannix, Mercury Executive Director said:

"We are delighted to have once again been awarded Cultural Recovery Funding. We are eternally grateful for all the support that we've received. This is a timely investment in arts and culture locally as we continue to face uncertainty this winter. Although ticket sales are increasingly positive, we cannot assume a swift return to a pre-Covid position at the Box office. This award means we can continue to play a significant role in the revival of our local and national economies and to be a significant employer of freelancers who were particularly badly hit by the pandemic."

Darren Henley, Chief Executive, Arts Council England, said:

"This continued investment from the Government on an unprecedented scale means our theatres, galleries, music venues, museums and arts centres can carry on playing their part in bringing visitors back to our high streets, helping to drive economic growth, boosting community pride and promoting good health. It's a massive vote of confidence in the role our cultural organisations play in helping us all to lead happier lives".

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