Council issues urgent appeal to Government to ‘help protect our culture’

CULTURAL EMBRACE: A performer at Hull’s Freedom Festival. Picture by Tom Arran Commercial Photography

The city council has made a direct appeal to Government to support Hull’s cultural, arts and heritage industries.

Council leader Steve Brady, and Dave Craker, portfolio holder for leisure and culture, have written to Oliver Dowden, Secretary of State for digital, culture, media and sport, citing the “enormous” development and growth of Hull’s cultural offer and reputation following its title of UK City of Culture in 2017, and the importance of protecting its legacy.

The letter says: “We want to ensure that we protect the legacy of creativity that has emerged in our arts and cultural industries, which are part of the very fabric of the city’s newfound vibrancy.”

The council recently decided to extend the Discretionary Grant Scheme to the creative arts and media sector, believed to be the first decision of its kind in the UK. This has facilitated £200,000 of grant funding to local arts and cultural industries.

The letter continues: “Our creative and arts sector responded very positively to our decision and have told us that it has been hugely beneficial to support some organisations to keep operating.”

The letter welcomes the government’s decision to fund a £1.57bn rescue package to help these industries, but highlights that in recent weeks the impact of coronavirus has already resulted in the closure of a number of live music and performing arts venues in Hull, stating that “their closure will be a huge loss to our local cultural offer”.

These include the closure of The Welly and The Polar Bear.

Earlier this month, The Hull Story writer Joe Hakim revealed he had lost a year’s work in 48 hours as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.