Funding boost for arts in the North East

Feb 9 2010 by David Whetstone, The Journal

TWO of the region's leading arts venues have received a cash boost while a new fund has been launched to stimulate film and new media production across the North East.

The Customs House, South Shields, has received £179,600 and Seven Stories, Newcastle, £175,000 from the Sustain fund, set up by Arts Council England to help successful arts organisations through difficult financial times.

Yesterday’s announcement was greeted with delight by the bosses of both North East organisations.

Kate Edwards, chief executive of Seven Stories, the national centre for children’s books, said it would enable them to do two things.

“Firstly it will enable us to invest in our visitor centre.

“It is coming up to being open for five years and we have to make sure that things like our air conditioning in the gallery is the best it can be to protect the original artwork on display.

“We also need to invest in some other areas to improve the experience for visitors.

“Secondly, it will enable us to invest in our artistic programme through this year and into next. We have planned an exhibition marking 70 years of Puffin books and we also want to celebrate our fifth birthday, thanking people in the North East for their support.”

Ms Edwards said Seven Stories hadn’t been in crisis but had been able to demonstrate that it had been hit by the recession.

She said that while many schools still supported Seven Stories, there had been a drop in the number of school visits because of rising transport costs, leading to a fall in income.

There had also been a fall in corporate hire while trusts and foundations had had less money to award because of the decreased value of their endowments.