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More than £7.9 million has been shared among 1,099 artists, creative practitioners, cultural organisations, museums, and libraries across the Midlands, through Arts Council’s emergency response fund.

With the sector facing immediate financial pressure as a result of COVID-19, Arts Council responded quickly, using money from the Government and the National Lottery, to open the funds and ensure that successful applicants got the money in their banks, at the time it was most needed. This helped ease the financial hardship which affected so many people and organisations as the country went in to lockdown.

1623 theatre company's making of miniseries exploring how creativity supports mental health. (c) 1623 theatre company

The money has, in some cases meant that they could pay their bills and keep the lights on, while for others it helped them to be able to work from home or offered them new and innovative ways to showcase their work.

This was all delivered at a time when the Arts Council was itself adjusting to new ways of working, with all offices closed and staff working from their kitchen tables or spare rooms in their homes, across the country.

Pomegranate Theatre's adaptation of Animal Farm. (c) John Langford

Peter Knott, Area Director, Midlands said:

“I’m really delighted that we were able to share so much money with so many people at a time that it was most needed.

“It is well documented that creativity, arts and culture benefit us in so many ways, having a positive impact on our wellbeing and we’ve seen a wide selection of lockdown creativity happen right across the Midlands in all sorts of entertaining ways.”