Dorset Council’s Durlston Country Park in Swanage has received a grant of £35,400 from the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund to help the organisation recover and reopen.
Nearly £400 million has been awarded to thousands of cultural organisations across the country including Durlston Country Park in the latest round of support from the Culture Recovery Fund, the Culture Secretary announced today.
Durlston is one of the UK’s most important sites for heritage, with an exceptional range of wildlife, geology and historic features including the Great Globe and Durlston Castle. It is much loved by both local residents and visitors, and the rangers offer a huge range of events and exhibitions to help people discover, enjoy and benefit from this very special place.
The Culture Recovery Fund will help the Park recover from the impacts of Covid and support the rangers to manage the expected increase in visitor numbers this summer and make sure that new visitors to Durlston have a great experience, which benefits wildlife and protects the heritage.
It will also support delivery of an exciting programme of events and activities, from art exhibitions, kids events, live music and performances and the creation of a new job to help welcome visitors, manage and promote events and provide new ways to get involved.
Over £800 million in grants and loans has already been awarded to support almost 3,800 cinemas, performance venues, museums, heritage sites and other cultural organisations dealing with the immediate challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.
This brings the Government’s total investment across grants, capital and repayable finance from the Culture Recovery Fund so far to more than £1.2 billion across over 5,000 individual cultural and heritage organisations and sites.
The second round of awards made today will help organisations to look ahead to the spring and summer and plan for reopening and recovery. After months of closures and cancellations to contain the virus and save lives, this funding will be a much-needed helping hand for organisations transitioning back to normal in the months ahead.
Culture Secretary, Oliver Dowden, said:
“Our record breaking Culture Recovery Fund has already helped thousands of culture and heritage organisations across the country survive the biggest crisis they’ve ever faced.
Now we’re staying by their side as they prepare to welcome the public back through their doors – helping our cultural gems plan for reopening and thrive in the better times ahead.”
Cllr. Ray Bryan, Dorset Council’s Portfolio Holder for Highways, Travel and Environment said:
“Throughout the pandemic, Durlston has been of huge importance to the wellbeing of local residents. This funding will offer a brilliant boost, to make sure that this unique place can continue to offer fantastic experiences to visitors, while protecting the important heritage which Durlston has to offer”
Ros Kerslake, CEO of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said:
“Spring is definitely here, bringing not only sunshine but that sense of optimism and hope for the future. We are all looking forward to heritage places and other visitor attractions reopening and I am very pleased that we have been able to support DCMS in delivering this vital funding to ensure the UK’s heritage sector can rebuild and thrive, boosting local economies, creating jobs and supporting personal wellbeing.”
Duncan Wilson, Chief Executive of Historic England, said:
“The value of our heritage sites and the people who run them has been amply demonstrated, as they have provided an anchor for so many of us through the dark days of the last year. Vital grants from the Culture Recovery Fund have helped them survive and will now help them recover, as the places we all cherish start to reopen in the months ahead.”
The funding awarded today is from a £400 million pot which was held back last year to ensure the Culture Recovery Fund could continue to help organisations in need as the public health picture changed. The funding has been awarded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic England as well as the British Film Institute and Arts Council England.
