Grassroots music venues in the West of England are being thrown a lifeline after receiving emergency funding to keep them afloat.
The South West venues are among 135 in the UK to receive a share of £3.36million from the Government, which is being delivered by the Arts Council.
The money is part of Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s £1.57bn cultural fund to support an industry which has been devastated by the pandemic.
As performances begin to restart with socially distanced audiences, the future of many small music venues still hangs in the balance.
The money will be used by the venues to cover on-going running costs, including rent and utilities, which have still had to be paid while shut.
Among those in the region to receive funding include Bristol nightclub Motion, which was named fourteenth best club in the world by DJ Mag earlier this year.
The venue received £79,906 - the only one outside London to be given almost the maximum funding of £80,000.
Martin Page, co-director of Motion, said he was “incredibly grateful” and the grant would enable Motion to "cover business critical costs” incurred from the pandemic.
"Our country's music scene is the best in the world and electronic music is a significant aspect of life, not only in Bristol, but around the globe,” he said.
"It is humbling to receive recognition alongside so many incredible grassroots venues throughout the UK."
Other venues to receive funding in Bristol include independent gig venue The Louisiana, which was handed £5,500, and The Old Bookshop, which was given £46,101.
Meanwhile, Bath’s award-winning Komedia venue secured £20,000.
In Devon, Plymouth’s Hutong Cafe was awarded a grant of £9,000.
The venue was near to reopening after a major five-month refurbishment when the coronavirus pandemic arrived. The restart scheduled for this spring had to be put on hold due to the lockdown.
Co-owner Jack Harman described the effect of the pandemic on the industry as “seismic”.
He said the team was monitoring the ever-changing guidance to see when they might be able to reopen.
“We are excited at the prospect of when that can happen again. We are working really closely with the Music Venue Trust and the Music Venue Alliance to find out about the new measures.
“The situation changes daily, we are taking it one day at a time.”
Another Devon business to receive cash is the Barrel House Ballroom at Totnes, which has adapted its listed first-floor hall, formerly part of a Georgian hotel, into a recording studio.
West of England metro mayor Tim Bowles said: “The creative industries and the night-time economy are a major part of our identity as a region and bring millions of pounds to the West of England each year.
"The pandemic has had a major impact on that, so I’m very pleased to see funding from the Government to help.”
Culture secretary Oliver Dowden added: “We are determined to help our exceptional music industry weather the Covid storm and come back stronger.
“Grassroots music venues are where the magic starts and these emergency grants from our £1.57bn fund will ensure these music venues survive to create the Adeles and Ed Sheerans of the future.”
Arts Council England is accepting applications for grants until September 4. For more information, visit artscouncil.org.uk/funding/culture-recovery-fund-grants#section-1
