The Government’s Welcome Back Fund is giving a welcome boost to creative and cultural organisations in Brighton & Hove as they begin to recover from the impact of Covid-19.

The Fund, which aims to ensure city centres and seaside resorts are ready to welcome back visitors as lockdown restrictions ease, is managed by local authorities and £583,538 has been awarded to Brighton & Hove. £170,000 will support the city’s creative and tourism economy as part of the ABCD Plan for Cultural Recovery, which is strongly supported by the Council.

Over the next weeks, proposals will be sought for a range of projects, including to develop a new monthly events platform that will see artists animate the city centre, and to deliver a series of Artist-led tours of the city working closely with marginalised communities.  Both are part of the Enliven Brighton strand of the ABCD Plan, who are delighted to be working in partnership with the Brilliant Brighton Business Improvement District.

Tarik Elmoutawakil, Co-Chair of the Enliven Working Group and Co-Artistic Director, Marlborough Productions, said,

“This fund aims to breathe life back into the streets of the city centre, creating work opportunities for local creatives and engaging the diverse communities that live and work here. It also represents the start of a partnership with Brilliant Brighton that is so ripe with potential. There is an incredible wealth of talent in our city, and we are excited to see what Brighton’s creative and business sectors can achieve working collaboratively.”

Gavin Stewart, CEO of Brilliant Brighton BID said,

“We are thrilled to be partnering up with like-minded organisations in the city as we re-imagine what the High Street ‘experience’ could be. The Covid pandemic has affected us all adversely, but by matching the city’s enviable creative sector with our vibrant retail and hospitality businesses we hope to deliver a new vision for locals and visitors as they venture back to Brilliant Brighton.”

As well as providing employment for artists and new experiences for audiences, the projects are about piloting new ideas and laying foundations for longer term development.  Other partners are also coming on board, with the Pebble Trust recently awarding a £5000 grant to support the Enliven Brighton work, focussing on opportunities for young artists from diverse backgrounds to be part of the programme.

Louise and Jamie Arnell of the Pebble Trust said,

“The Pebble Trust is delighted to be able to support local artists and businesses to enliven Brighton. We have seen the enormous appetite for arts and culture already this year in the Fringe and Festival.  Brighton will recover fast from Covid by being a fun and fascinating place to visit.  We are so glad to be part of that.”

Information on all the new opportunities can be found on the Culture in Our City website, cultureinourcity.com.