Arts Council England's Grant Programme Will Prioritise Freelancers When Reopening This Month

Arts Council England will prioritise artists and individuals when it reopens its grant programme this month, The Stage reports.

This comes after the UK Government announced a £1.57 billion rescue package to help the nation's cultural, arts and heritage institutions weather the impact of COVID-19.

ACE chief executive Darren Henley said the government funding will be based around protecting the UK's cultural infrastructure, but there are concerns that freelancers will not be protected.

ACE's National Lottery Project Grants scheme was paused earlier this year due to the pandemic, but it will reopen for applications again on July 22.

In an online blog, Henley confirmed the funding "will have a focus on supporting artists and individuals", and that they are exploring what they could do to offer more support for freelancers in the arts.

It was also recently announced that Sam Mendes has established an emergency fund for theatre artists affected by the health crisis, focused more on freelance workers, and individual artists who are in need.

"We have created a fund to which the most vulnerable freelance theatre practitioners can now apply," said Mendes. "It is specifically designed for theatre workers who find themselves at breaking point, for those unable to put food on the table or to pay bills, or for those considering leaving the profession altogether." Mendes said that the fund "is not for buildings, or regular staff, but for freelance artists who actually make the shows that the public pay to see."

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