The Mozartists (formerly Classical Opera) has been awarded £99,452 as part of the Government’s £1.57
billion Culture Recovery Fund (CRF) to help face the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic and to ensure
they have a sustainable future, the Culture Secretary has announced today.
The Mozartists is one of 1,385 cultural and creative organisations across the country receiving urgently
needed support. £257 million of investment has been announced today as part of the very first round of
the Culture Recovery Fund grants programme being administered by Arts Council England. Further rounds
of funding in the cultural and heritage sector are due to be announced over the coming weeks.
This funding is a vital lifeline for The Mozartists, who have faced mass performance cancellations and a
painful financial blow as a result of Covid-19. This funding will play an important part in enabling the
company to return to the concert platform with a programme of live and streamed performances from
January 2021, enabling the company to continue its ground-breaking 27-year MOZART 250 project, which
explores the works of Mozart and his contemporaries chronologically, exactly 250 years after they were
composed.
CEO Debbie Coates says:
“These have been uniquely difficult times for our industry, and the knock-on effects both to our
organisation and our talented freelance artists have been horrendous. This grant provides some light at
the end of the tunnel, offering us a lifeline so that we can resume the presentation of world-class
performances and generate vital work for our artists. We are immensely grateful for this show of support
and confidence in our work.”
Artistic director Ian Page says:
“We are deeply grateful for this grant, which provides a vital step in securing our survival and enabling us
to return to live performances. We are particularly thankful that it will enable us to provide important
work opportunities for our hugely talented singers and players, who have suffered so badly over the past
seven months, and to welcome back our audiences and supporters, whom we have missed very much.
This grant will make a huge difference to The Mozartists, and we will work indefatigably to make the most
of the crucial springboard that it provides.”
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said:
“This funding is a vital boost for the theatres, music venues, museums and cultural organisations that
form the soul of our nation. It will protect these special places, save jobs and help the culture sector’s
recovery. These places and projects are cultural beacons the length and breadth of the country. This
unprecedented investment in the arts is proof this government is here for culture, with further support to
come in the days and weeks ahead so that the culture sector can bounce back strongly.”
Chair, Arts Council England, Sir Nicholas Serota, said:
“Theatres, museums, galleries, dance companies and music venues bring joy to people and life to our
cities, towns and villages. This life-changing funding will save thousands of cultural spaces loved by local
communities and international audiences. Further funding is still to be announced and we are working
hard to support our sector during these challenging times.”
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