This significant investment demonstrates a dedication to humanity that gives us all hope during times of unimaginable uncertainty. We will continue to ensure we tell the greatest tales of our past whilst creating a bold vision for our future.

We at Shakespeare’s Globe welcome this significant investment from the Government in our world-leading theatres and cultural institutions.

I am thrilled to see the government intervene in such a decisive fashion to protect our nation’s cultural capital.

We’d like to thank the Secretary of State and the team at DCMS for the opportunity to work closely together throughout this crisis to develop genuine solutions to the challenges faced by grassroots music venues.

Given the many calls on the public purse in this crisis, it will come as a massive relief to the sector, public and private. Three cheers.

Huge relief to the hundreds of thousands of skilled workers (not to mention millions of audience members) who want to be able to get British culture back up and thriving as soon as it is safe to do so.

This package will help Sadler’s Wells and organisations like ours to survive the immediate impacts of the crisis, but also put us in readiness to welcome back audiences, artists, and participants as soon as we can safely reopen our theatres.

I am thrilled to hear of this support by the government for the Arts in this country. Music, art and the performing arts are critical for the vitality of our diverse cultural life.

I know how hard Oliver Dowden has worked to secure this support. It is absolutely critical that Britain’s cultural sector is restored to health as soon as possible.

Thank you to the DCMS, HM Treasury and the many people in the sector who have worked together to demonstrate the critical role the arts play in our economic well being and public life.

This much-needed investment, and the guidance for reopening, will help get orchestras back to work, starting behind closed doors this summer, and on to the point when we can welcome audiences both here and abroad, we hope, later this year.

This is wonderful news and a huge relief for us all. This generous investment is both enormously welcome and desperately needed. Now that our survival is no longer at risk, we can start rebuilding our cultural life.

This is very welcome news for our independent cinemas, who play a vital cultural role across the country.

I know our amazing artists and creative organisations will repay the faith that the government has shown by demonstrating the range of their creativity, by serving their communities and by helping the nation recover as we emerge from the pandemic.

This emergency funding package from the Government, including £50m for heritage put at risk during the pandemic, will be a lifeline for our sector, kickstarting repair works at our historic sites which matter most to local communities.

“We are delighted that the Government has recognised the special importance of the arts and creativity – including music - to our national life. We warmly welcome specific mention of our cherished music venues, and to support for the wider arts, which should also assist our classical music sector. The live music industry, and the artist community that it supports, has felt the full, devastating force of the Covid-19 emergency and grassroots venues urgently require support if the UK is to retain its exceptional local music scene and continue to produce world-beating artists. We look forward to further discussing how the funds will be allocated.”

“An inspired move from government to stop our cultural institutions from collapse and give our arts and cultural sector the necessary boost to not only survive but innovate through the pandemic. This will help lift all communities, economically and spiritually from the spectre of mass unemployment and closure of beloved venues towards hope for a brighter future for all.”

“Our arts and cultural sector is essential to our society and to our world-leading creative industries. This government support recognises this and is most welcome.”

“This is a very welcome first step in tackling the crisis arts and culture is facing. The blend of grants and loans will help many critical institutions keep going until they can open again. Then we’ll need to sort the long term.”

“The government’s recognition of the crucial contribution that creativity and creative talent will make to restoring our nation’s economic prosperity and getting our towns and cities working again is extremely welcome.”