Shoreham's Ropetackle cautious over arts crisis funding package

Ropetackle chairman Martin Allen has given a cautious welcome to the government’s emergency funding package for the arts.
Ropetackle chairman Martin AllenRopetackle chairman Martin Allen
Ropetackle chairman Martin Allen

At the weekend, the government unveiled a £1.57bn support package to help protect the future of UK theatres, galleries, museums and other cultural venues. Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said the aim was to preserve the "crown jewels" in the UK's arts sector as well as local venues.

“I think it is great,” Martin said, “and it sounds great, but by the time it starts getting divvied up, I am sure there is going to be a large proportion that is going to go to the major venues in the sector.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The arts sector is so huge and diverse that it sounds a huge sum but I think it is going to be pretty thinly spread when it comes down to us. Whatever trickles down to our level remains to be seen.”

The Ropetackle in Shoreham has been shut since March.

“But it is a big investment and hopefully it will be applied very carefully across the whole sector, with venues like ours having some element of support. But with this great announcement there seems to be a process to work out the details, and I think it is going to take a bit of time just because it is such a big and complex and wide-ranging sector. But fingers crossed.”

The venue has already had a grant from the Arts Council: “And we had another grant as well via the local authority. That has helped us.

“Over the last 18 months since we came through our bad time (of threatened closure), we have a come a long way from a bad position generally, but there is still a long way to go.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The furlough scheme is set to end in October, and we are also waiting to see what we are going to be allowed to do and also to see how we can get people’s confidence back.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

*************

A message from the Editor, Gary Shipton:

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news, I am asking you to please purchase a copy of our newspapers.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspapers.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

Stay safe, and best wishes.

Gary Shipton

Editorial Director