(Credit: Royal Opera House / Sim Cannetty-Clarke)

Arts Council England, the national development agency for creativity and culture, has announced that it will begin delivering the UK Government’s emergency funding package.

Up to 500 million pound sterlings will be initially available for organizations in the form of the Grants program. The repayable Finance part of The Culture Recovery Fund, which amounts to 270 million pounds sterling in long-term loans will also be available soon.

The Emergency Grassroots Music Venues Fund will provide up to 2.5 million pounds sterling in order to help the cultural venues that are at risk of imminent closure.

Arts Council has also announced its own programs to help the embattled UK’s cultural sector. National Lottery Project Grants will provide 78 million pounds sterling and will deliver the funds to individuals, community, and cultural organizations. Additionally, freelance workers in the sector will receive help totaling 2 million pounds sterling.

The UK Government has recently announced an emergency rescue package of 1.57 billion pounds sterling for UK’s arts, culture, and heritage industries.