The #LetUsDance campaign has claimed victory after Arts Council England confirmed the clubbing sector would be eligible for a chunk of the Government's £1.57bn rescue package.
The campaign — which launched last week and was backed by the likes of Fatboy Slim, Thom Yorke, Four Tet and Irvine Welsh — urged the UK Government to pledge support for the country’s dance music scene.
It came amid concerns that clubbing might not be covered by the cultural aid package, which only mentioned “live music venues” when it was first announced earlier this month.
More than 5,000 letters were sent to local MPs, urging them to take action, with Roisin Murphy, Charlotte De Witte, Andy C and Pete Tong among the many artists also giving their support.
Arts Council England has now confirmed details of the grants in its Culture Recovery Fund, which will range from £50,000 to £3m.
A list of cultural organisations that will be eligible to apply for these grants has also been published. Venues that “create, present or support” the genre of “electronic music (including house, electronica, drum and bass, dubstep and experimental)” were listed. This means nightclubs should be in line to receive funding.
Greg Marshall, general manager of the Association for Electronic Music, praised the “passionate” #LetUsDance campaign, which “showed the significance of electronic music events in so many people’s lives”.
Mr Marshall added: “The campaign achieved its core objective. Thanks to everyone who supported.”
Michael Kill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association, said: “This is a positive step forward, but we must maintain pressure on government to gain clarity on the roadmap for businesses that are still unable to open, and fight for further support to ensure their survive this crisis.”
Nightclubs across the UK have been closed since lockdown began in March, with many experts predicting these venues will be among the last to open as the country aims to quell the pandemic.
