Theatres to receive £400m in government’s 2021 Budget

Photo credit: Aaron Chown/PA Wire

£400m of Covid-19 support will be granted to theatres, museums and galleries in the government’s 2021 Budget, which will be outlined tomorrow.

This grant is in addition to the government’s existing £1.57 billion recovery fund.

It is also expected that further furlough support will be unveiled, along with a continued reduction in VAT on theatre tickets and other similar products.

It is currently unknown, however, whether any changes will be made to the scheme set up to support self-employed workers. There is still a large number of freelancers who are yet to benefit from the support as it currently stands.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak said: "Throughout the crisis we have done everything we can to support our world-renowned arts and cultural industries, and it's only right that we continue to build on our historic package of support for the sector.

"This industry is a significant driver of economic activity, employing more than 700,000 people in jobs across the UK, and I am committed to ensuring the arts are equipped to captivate audiences in the months and years to come."

Fingers crossed, Besties!