A LIFELINE grant of £50,000 has been awarded to a dale arts venue hit by the impact of the pandemic.
The Witham, in Barnard Castle, will get £50,000 by the Arts Council, as part of the Government’s Cultural Recovery Fund to help put on “quality cultural activities at a reasonable price”.
It is just one of 1,385 cultural and creative organisations across the country to receive urgently needed support.
Centre manager Susan Coffer said: “While there is still a great deal of uncertainty as to when our sector will operate at full capacity again, this grant will help put our development plans back on track, giving us space and time to consider how we evolve as an organisation.
“There is still much to overcome, but with this funding and the support of our community, our ambition to assist the town recover from the impact of Covid feels much more realistic.”
The Witham’s board of trustees will meet on Thursday to discuss the implementation of activities relating to the grant.
Shelagh Avery, chairwoman of The Witham’s trustees, said: “We are immensely grateful for this significant funding.
“Prior to the pandemic striking, The Witham was performing well both financially and artistically, bringing greater opportunities for residents to engage and participate in high quality cultural experiences.
“This provides us with hope of restoring more activities and supporting our community once more.”
