Two St Albans theatre companies have been awarded nearly £80,000 combined from the government's Culture Recovery Fund.
Maltings Theatre-based OVO and Trestle Theatre Company are among 925 recipients to benefit from the latest round of awards announced today (November 19).
OVO has been awarded £46,450, while Trestle Theatre Company will receive £32,833 from the third round of the government’s Culture Recovery Fund.
Based at the Trestle Arts Base in Russet Drive, Trestle is a mask and physical theatre company.
This funding will allow Trestle to continue to deliver all aspects of its creative work and support the company as it moves into 2022.
Helen Barnett, creative director of Trestle Theatre Company, said: “We are incredibly grateful for the continued support we have received from Arts Council England through their Cultural Recovery Fund.
"This grant will enable us to continue, not just to deliver the creative opportunities we are currently providing, but to work together with our community to develop new and exciting creative opportunities and resources for the future.”
OVO presents theatrical productions year-round at The Maltings Theatre, festivals of drama and comedy at the open air Roman Theatre of Verulamium, and promenade performances in the streets of St Albans city centre.
Its production of Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen is currently playing at the Maltings until Saturday, November 27.
Adam Nichols, artistic director of OVO, said: “The team and I at OVO are absolutely thrilled to receive this grant from the Culture Recovery Fund.
"It gives us the very exciting opportunity to develop our performance plans for 2022, with a new writing festival featuring local playwrights at The Maltings Theatre in the spring and another open-air season of high quality entertainment at The Roman Theatre throughout the summer.
“The grant will also enable us to continue providing paid work for local performers and creatives, over 150 of whom we have employed since the start of the pandemic, providing an important economic boost to the district.
"Finally, we will be able to develop our mission to enable young people and the local community to participate in performance and training."
More than £100 million has been awarded to cultural organisations across the country in the latest round of support from the Culture Recovery Fund.
New Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries, who replaced Hertsmere MP Oliver Dowden in the post earlier this year, said: “Culture is for everyone and should therefore be accessible to everyone, no matter who they are and where they’re from.
"Through unprecedented government financial support, the Culture Recovery Fund is supporting arts and cultural organisations so they can continue to bring culture to communities the length and breadth of the country, supporting jobs, boosting local economies and inspiring people.”
Over £1.2 billion has already been awarded from the unprecedented Culture Recovery Fund, supporting around 5,000 individual organisations and sites across the country ranging from local museums to West End theatres, grassroots music venues such as The Horn in St Albans to festivals, and organisations in the cultural and heritage supply-chains.
Arts Council England chief executive Darren Henley said: “This continued investment from the government on an unprecedented scale means our theatres, galleries, music venues, museums and arts centres can carry on playing their part in bringing visitors back to our high streets, helping to drive economic growth, boosting community pride and promoting good health.
"It’s a massive vote of confidence in the role our cultural organisations play in helping us all to lead happier lives.”
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