Culture Recovery Fund: Yorkshire arts groups win share of £107m

Leeds Grand Theatre has been handed nearly £1.3m from the Cultural Recovery Fund

Dozens of arts venues and groups across Yorkshire have received government funding as they recover from the Covid pandemic.

Leeds Grand Theatre received nearly £1.3m, while Sheffield theatre venues got £700,000.

The money comes from the government's Cultural Recovery Fund designed to help arts organisations survive losses caused by the outbreak.

Sheffield Theatres Trust said the funds were "vital" to cover running costs.

Sixty-six organisations in Yorkshire will share £107m, which comes from an extra £300m for the recovery fund announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak in his March Budget.

Artlink is a community arts organisation and charity in Hull

Other recipients included:

• Artlink Hull - £67,213

• Theatre Royal, York - £294,952

• Brass Bands England, Barnsley - £127,000

• Rural Arts North Yorkshire, Thirsk - £45,000

• Showroom Cinema, Sheffield - £442,657

• Palace Cinema Malton, North Yorkshire - £60,099

Chris Twigg, CEO of Artlink Hull, said the fund had "supported our organisation during the toughest times of the pandemic and helped us to adapt to the post-pandemic world".

"We've been able to keep serving our communities throughout it all - it really made a difference."

The Showroom Cinema in Sheffield was a car dealership in the 1930s

Max May, CEO of Rural Arts North Yorkshire, said its online and face-to-face outreach work was "more vital than ever, as our community arts centre had to close and re-open three times during national lockdowns".

"This support will enable us to rebuild safely and steadily whilst furthering our vision of creativity at the heart of every community in North Yorkshire."

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said the Culture Recovery Fund would allow arts and cultural organisations to "continue to bring culture to communities the length and breadth of the country, supporting jobs, boosting local economies and inspiring people".

Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail] or send video here.