UK Launches $2 Billion Relief Fund for Arts, Royal Opera House Responds

By David Salazar

The United Kingdom’s government has pledged close to $2 billion to support arts and cultural organizations.

The relief package was announced on Sunday. Per a report by The Hollywood Reporter, the package includes around $1 billion in grants that will be split between organizations including “theaters, music venues, heritage sites, museums, galleries and independent cinemas,” with another $336 million available in loans. Meanwhile, other funds will support “England’s national cultural institutions and English Heritage,” construction projects and infrastructure.”

“This is a vital next step on the road to recovery for the industry and will help to support and sustain the UK’s vibrant arts ecology through this crisis,” the Royal Opera House said in a statement published on its Facebook page. “There is much to achieve over the coming months and this package of support will be a catalyst for unlocking the extraordinary creativity embedded in the UK’s world-renowned creative industries.

“Over the months ahead we will need to draw all on our collective ingenuity and determination to adapt to the realities of re-opening our theatres. We now look forward to the future and celebrating the return of our artforms, our community of staff and artists, and importantly, welcoming our audiences back to the Royal Opera House.”

Back in early June, the Royal Opera House announced that it was in dire financial straits and that it could face complete closure by autumn if it did not receive sufficient support.

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