Mark Logan, MP for Bolton North East, has welcomed the announcement from Secretary of State for Culture, Oliver Dowden, that The Octagon Theatre in Bolton will receive its share of £75 million funding for iconic arts venues and cultural organisations.
70 per cent of funding has been awarded to organisations outside of London. This is the third business in Bolton North East set to benefit from the generous £75 million Culture Recovery Fund. The Octagon Theatre will receive £620,232.
Grants are being awarded to places that define culture in all corners of the country, providing jobs, supporting the wider community and engaging the public through innovative means during the pandemic.
More than £500 million has now been allocated from the Culture Recovery Fund to nearly 2,500 cultural organisations and venues of all sizes, including cinemas, heritage sites, museums, circuses, festivals and comedy clubs across the country, to help them plan for reopening and restarting performances and programmes. The certainty and security provided by these grants will also help to support organisations as they plan for the future and create opportunities for freelancers.
Commenting Mark Logan MP said:
“Excellent news! In June, I spoke with Chief Executive, Roddy Gauld, and Artistic Director, Lotte Wakeham, from the Octagon, about their challenges during lockdown.
I communicated these with the Minister of State for Digital and Culture, Caroline Dinenage and we agreed that as a shining example of the creative industries the Octagon is hugely important for the future of Bolton’s economy and culture.
The Culture Recovery Fund will certainly help protect The Octagon and an industry amongst the hardest hit.”
Chief Executive, Roddy Gauld said:
“We really appreciate this vital Government support. With investment from Bolton Council and the Arts Council, we’ve built a world class new theatre that we’re so excited to open.
Research shows that for every £1 spent at the theatre, £3 is spent in the surrounding economy.
Artistic Director, Lotte Wakeham added:
“The Octagon is the cultural heart of the town and we want our fantastic new theatre to be here for years to come, to entertain and inspire our local community. We’re really grateful to everyone who has supported us so far.”