Croydon Council is backing its creative community with a fund to help cultural organisations that have been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Croydon’s £135k Cultural Relief Fund will provide emergency funding to support cultural organisations in danger of closing, and also programme funding for cultural activity during the health crisis.
Cultural organisations were hit early by economic impact of the Covid-19 lockdown, with theatres and other entertainment venues among the first to close their doors.
Many in Croydon are smaller charities or not-for-profit organisations, ineligible for large-scale Government support schemes, but who deliver important outreach work across diverse communities, enabling them to access the arts, as well as jobs and training opportunities in the creative sector.
The borough’s creative community has responded swiftly to the Covid-19 pandemic, providing a host of free online activity from concerts to group dancing, choirs, colouring competitions and more.
Croydon’s Cultural Relief Fund includes council funding diverted from the Cultural Partnership and Youth Arts Funds, both of which are now suspended, and Greater London Authority (GLA) funding, awarded to Croydon as part of its Creative Enterprise Zone (CEZ) grant.
Grants will be available to groups who are based or work in the borough, with most bids expected to be around £2-5,000.
Applicants can apply online here but are asked to first contact the council’s culture team at culturegrants@croydon.gov.uk to discuss their application.
“Our local creative community is the beating heart of Croydon’s cultural scene and a vital part of our borough’s identity. As Croydon Music City and a London creative enterprise zone, we believe in investing in culture – and we want to be there for our local organisations now, when it matters the most.
“We hope our support will help them to continue to play their much-valued role in our community during this health crisis, and ensure that we emerge from this ready to make London Borough of Culture 2023 something positive for us all.”
Councillor Oliver Lewis, cabinet member for culture, leisure and sport
