UK attractions leaders call on government to use £120m Festival of Britain Fund to support sector
POSTED 20 Mar 2020 . BY Tom Anstey
The heads of several major organisations, including The Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA), the Museums Association (MA) and the National Museums Directors Council (NMDC), have called on the British government to use funding intended for the upcoming Festival of Britain in order to provide emergency funding for the arts, heritage and entertainment sectors.
Announced by former Prime Minister Theresa May last year, the 2022 Festival of Britain is a £120m (US$142.8m, €133m) UK-wide cultural event that will aim to champion the country’s innovation and creativity following the UK’s split from the EU in January.
ALVA director Bernard Donoghue, MA director Sharon Heal and NMDC chair Sir Ian Blatchford have all called for an emergency fund with that funding to be created in order to support the in-need sectors as a result of the COVID-19 epidemic.
"The government had earmarked £120m for a ‘festival of Britain’ in 2022," said Heal. "We believe this should now be made available to support museums at risk of permanent closure as a result of the coronavirus epidemic.
"We would appeal to government and funders to provide financial support and emergency funding for institutions that are affected by the pandemic; and also ask funders to operate flexibility in terms of delivery of currently funded projects."
Donoghue made a similar call. While the fund would not be enough to stop organisations going out of business, the fund is an easy solution in the short term "otherwise there may be no culture to display."
Blatchford, who is also head of London's Science Museum, said that keeping the “cultural sector alive” had to take priority over the 2022 event, adding that a Festival of Britain cannot be held if the museum sector is "knackered".
The Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) has announced that it will postpone its upcoming TEA
Summit and Thea Awards Gala, as well as the SATE Europe conference in the wake of the
coronavirus pandemic.
Construction on the Mall of China, a US$750 m (£647m, €688m) development in
Chongqing City, China, has recommenced after developers were given the green light to
continue.
Following news that there are no new reported cases COVID-19 for the first time since the virus
emerged in late December and news that the Wuhan lockdown could be lifted once there are no new
cases for 14 days attractions in the country are cautiously preparing to reopen for the first time in
months.
With countless visitor attractions around the world forced to close as a result of the coronavirus
pandemic, many are starting to improvise ways they can connect with their customers. Among
them, Ohio's Cincinnati Zoo has turned to its digital platforms, offering live "Home Safaris" to its
visitors.
Planet Fitness has announced the repurchase of 314,000 shares at a rate of US$20
million. The
Class A common stocks were repurchased and retired, using cash.
Xponential Fitness today indefinitely suspended founder and CEO, Anthony Geisler, saying it
had been notified on 7 May that the company is facing a legal challenge by the United States
Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.
Fast Fitness Japan, master franchisee of Anytime Fitness in Japan, has acquired Eighty-8
Health
& Fitness, giving the company master franchisee rights to Anytime Fitness in Germany.
Phil Heath, professional athlete, bodybuilder and 7x Mr. Olympia, has fielded a lot of
questions about bodybuilding without machines. Should bodybuilders be limited to just free
weights? Why? [more...]
Join us at Elevate from 12-13 June in London for a special one-off live recording of The Game
Changers Podcast with Sue Anstiss, CEO of Fearless Women. [more...]
UK attractions leaders call on government to use £120m Festival of Britain Fund to support sector
POSTED 20 Mar 2020 . BY Tom Anstey
The heads of several major organisations, including The Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA), the Museums Association (MA) and the National Museums Directors Council (NMDC), have called on the British government to use funding intended for the upcoming Festival of Britain in order to provide emergency funding for the arts, heritage and entertainment sectors.
Announced by former Prime Minister Theresa May last year, the 2022 Festival of Britain is a £120m (US$142.8m, €133m) UK-wide cultural event that will aim to champion the country’s innovation and creativity following the UK’s split from the EU in January.
ALVA director Bernard Donoghue, MA director Sharon Heal and NMDC chair Sir Ian Blatchford have all called for an emergency fund with that funding to be created in order to support the in-need sectors as a result of the COVID-19 epidemic.
"The government had earmarked £120m for a ‘festival of Britain’ in 2022," said Heal. "We believe this should now be made available to support museums at risk of permanent closure as a result of the coronavirus epidemic.
"We would appeal to government and funders to provide financial support and emergency funding for institutions that are affected by the pandemic; and also ask funders to operate flexibility in terms of delivery of currently funded projects."
Donoghue made a similar call. While the fund would not be enough to stop organisations going out of business, the fund is an easy solution in the short term "otherwise there may be no culture to display."
Blatchford, who is also head of London's Science Museum, said that keeping the “cultural sector alive” had to take priority over the 2022 event, adding that a Festival of Britain cannot be held if the museum sector is "knackered".
The Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) has announced that it will postpone its upcoming TEA
Summit and Thea Awards Gala, as well as the SATE Europe conference in the wake of the
coronavirus pandemic.
Construction on the Mall of China, a US$750 m (£647m, €688m) development in
Chongqing City, China, has recommenced after developers were given the green light to
continue.
Following news that there are no new reported cases COVID-19 for the first time since the virus
emerged in late December and news that the Wuhan lockdown could be lifted once there are no new
cases for 14 days attractions in the country are cautiously preparing to reopen for the first time in
months.
With countless visitor attractions around the world forced to close as a result of the coronavirus
pandemic, many are starting to improvise ways they can connect with their customers. Among
them, Ohio's Cincinnati Zoo has turned to its digital platforms, offering live "Home Safaris" to its
visitors.
Planet Fitness has announced the repurchase of 314,000 shares at a rate of US$20
million. The
Class A common stocks were repurchased and retired, using cash.
Xponential Fitness today indefinitely suspended founder and CEO, Anthony Geisler, saying it
had been notified on 7 May that the company is facing a legal challenge by the United States
Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.
Fast Fitness Japan, master franchisee of Anytime Fitness in Japan, has acquired Eighty-8
Health
& Fitness, giving the company master franchisee rights to Anytime Fitness in Germany.
Peloton Interactive Inc is believed to be working to get its costs under control in a bid to align
with the expectations of private equity investors as it considers de-listing.
Phil Heath, professional athlete, bodybuilder and 7x Mr. Olympia, has fielded a lot of
questions about bodybuilding without machines. Should bodybuilders be limited to just free
weights? Why? [more...]
Join us at Elevate from 12-13 June in London for a special one-off live recording of The Game
Changers Podcast with Sue Anstiss, CEO of Fearless Women. [more...]