Reading Rep Theatre Secure Third Round Of Government Culture Recovery Fund

Reading Rep Theatre today announce they are to receive £59,000 from the third round of the Government's Culture Recovery Fund. 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. Reading Rep Theatre is among 935 recipients to benefit from the latest round of awards from the Culture Recovery Fund. The grant will be integral in supporting Reading Rep Theatre through their inaugural season at their new venue. It will allow the company to further develop their award-winning community outreach programme, ENGAGE, providing access to the arts for Reading's most vulnerable communities, reinforcing their mission to put Reading on the national cultural landscape.

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."

Nick Thompson, Executive Director of Reading Rep Theatre said "This vital funding ensures that theatres can offer cultural, economic, health and education benefits that are so vital to the country's recovery. This funding means we can continue to produce professional theatre, offer education and outreach to children, young people, and vulnerable communities, employ freelancers that have been so enormously affected over the last two years and keep planning for the future to ensure we can offer high quality culture to more and more people. Our thanks to DCMS and to Arts Council England for recognising our work, and the significance of the sector's work, in supporting recovery from these dark times."

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."