Rock in £2m arts grants shareout

May 15 2008 by Paul James, The Journal

THE Northern Rock Foundation yesterday announced it was reopening its grants programme for culture and heritage projects.

A £2m shareout for 2008 will support performing arts, contemporary craft, design and new media, museum and heritage exhibitions, festivals and collaborations as well as professional training for people working in those areas in the North East and Cumbria.

The culture and heritage grants were scrapped in December in light of the uncertainty surrounding the bank’s future, as overall grants issued by the charity, funded by the bank’s profits, were reduced.

From 2001 until then, it had given nearly £27m to culture, a grants programme which has now been reopened following the Chancellor’s decision to give the foundation a minimum of £15m a year until 2010. Trustees expect to make their first grants in July.

Yesterday Fiona Ellis, director of the Northern Rock Foundation, said: “The Foundation is really pleased to be investing again in the region’s culture and heritage.

“Last autumn, trustees had to make very difficult decisions about scaling back their grant-making, but now with the continuing support of Northern Rock under its new ownership arrangements, we can expand our plans again.

“We know that cultural activities transform lives at all levels, and we have always supported projects that use the arts to connect with and inspire disadvantaged people. Our culture programme complements that by providing a dedicated stream of investment for excellent, high-profile projects that everyone can enjoy, but which also contribute to the North East and Cumbria’s continuing regeneration and growing pride.”

Cultural grants over recent years have included £100,000-a-year to the running costs of the Baltic in Gateshead, £170,000 to the National Glass Centre in Sunderland for a programme of exhibitions, and £500,000 to help with the revamp of the Tyneside Cinema in Newcastle.

The foundation also donated £400,000 to help build a new education centre at Newcastle’s Theatre Royal, £350,000 to the new Waygood Gallery in Newcastle, £100,000 to help complete Newcastle’s Dance City and £350,000 went to the North East Theatre Trust to extend and refurbish Newcastle’s Live Theatre.

Until the bank’s nationalisation, the Northern Rock Foundation received 5% of the bank’s profits and in its first 10 years donated £175m across the North.

In December, its trustees set a cautious budget for 2008 of £7m, but were able to increase their grants budget by £4m after the Government’s funding assurance.

The foundation’s other priorities for grants this year are services for people with mental health problems, people with learning disabilities, older people and carers; providing one-to-one help for young people at risk, homeless people, substance misusers and groups that face prejudice and discrimination; and reducing the incidence and impact of domestic and sexual violence, abuse and hate crimes.

Welcome news

LEADING figures from the region’s arts community yesterday welcomed the reopening of the foundation’s cultural grants.

Mark Robinson, executive director of the Arts Council North East, said: "The return of the culture programme is very welcome news. This funding has made a huge contribution to the cultural regeneration and vitality of the region."

Mark Dobson, chief executive of the Tyneside Cinema, said: "I think that Northern Rock Foundation’s culture funding has transformed the landscape of the region."

Jim Beirne, chief executive of Live Theatre, said: "It is wonderful news that the culture programme is opening up again."

Alan Clarke, chief executive of regional development agency One NorthEast said: "This new funding will strengthen the region’s commitment to high quality culture and heritage."