Museums, theatres, galleries and artists who have been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic in England will have access to a £160 million emergency fund issued by Arts Council England.
The public body announced the fund in the home of aiding those in the culture sector who are currently struggling as a result of the spread of Covid-19.
Sir Nicholas Serota, chair of Arts Council England said that: "Covid-19 is having an impact globally, far beyond the cultural sector - but our responsibility is to sustain our sector as best we can, so that artists and organisations can continue to nourish the imagination of people across the country, both during the crisis and in the period of recovery.
"None of us can hope to weather this storm alone, but by working together in partnership, I believe we can emerge the stronger, with ideas shared, new ways of working, and new relationships forged at the local, national and even international level."
The fund follows government orders to close theatres and galleries in an attempt to combat the spread of the virus.
Broken down, the fund will offer £20 million for individuals, comprised of grants up to £2,500 per person, £90 million for National Portfolio Organisations – those who receive annual funding, and a further £50 million for organisations who fall outside of that scheme.
The pandemic has left those in the culture and arts sectors facing increasingly uncertain futures, and the government has been asked to do more to protect the interests of the self-employed.
The fund has been created from diverting money from National Lottery project grants and development funds. The first payments will be made in the next six weeks.
