Cultural organisations across Dorset will benefit from funding support thanks to Dorset Council.
From 1 April, some 24 organisations will be supported with a three-year funding agreement courtesy of the council’s new Organisational Revenue Support Fund.
See the full list of organisations who will benefit.
In November 2020 the council launched a new grant application process for cultural organisations to gain revenue support.
The Organisational Revenue Support Fund is the first of three new rounds of discretionary and project funds being brought in as the council streamlines its approach to funding following local government reorganisation in Dorset.
The new grant awards will replace all historic funding agreements to cultural organisations originally awarded by former district councils, although Dorset Council continues to fund three museums in which it has a reversionary interest.
Cllr Jill Haynes, Dorset Council Portfolio Holder for Customer and Community Services said:
“I’m delighted Dorset Council is able to offer this support to the county’s cultural and community organisations, despite pressure on our budgets, as we know they play such a key part in the health, wellbeing and learning of so many people.
“We know that Arts Council England invests £2.5 million revenue funding into Dorset’s arts and cultural organisations and one of the reasons they do this is because Dorset Council continues to invest in the cultural sector.”
The new fund has a grant budget of £279,000 and a substantial number of museums, heritage and arts organisations submitted applications totalling £759,000.
The grant panel assessed the applications and recipients were informed of the outcome before Christmas.
Applications were assessed against how organisations delivered economic and social outcomes aligned to the council’s priorities listed in the Dorset Council Plan.
The panel was pleased to support more of the county’s town museums and arts organisations some of which have not received regular funding before, helping them to strengthen their organisations during these difficult times.
Find out more about Dorset Council’s support for voluntary and community organisations online at www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk
