2Faced Dance Company receives lifeline grant from Government’s £1.57bn Culture Recovery Fund

[Hereford Voice]

2Faced Dance Company has been awarded £148,000 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. 

2Faced Dance Company 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. 

2Faced Dance Company have worked locally, regionally, nationally and internationally over the past 21 years, to not only produce fearless contemporary dance works for audiences of all ages but also as advocates for the industry they work in. This vital funding will enable the organisation to continue their ambitious programme of work, support the vital work of the artists that surround them and continue to lead the local arts ecology.   

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said:

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“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:

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“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.”

Tamsin Fitzgerald, Artistic Director of 2Faced Dance, said:

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"This crucial investment in our company and community will enable us to protect jobs, forge plans to fully reopen and support the wider local arts ecology in Herefordshire and further afield. 2Faced Dance are just one part of an extraordinary collection of local theatre and arts makers in Herefordshire who have all been affected by this crisis.  We will continue to work alongside our community to ensure that it can thrive now and in the future.  We will soon announce our ambitious plans for a programme of work that will nurture new talent, nourish established artists and engage audiences from many walks of life”.

Registered Charity Number 1178796

2Faced Dance Company is based in the stunning rural city of Hereford. Under the helm of artistic director and choreographer Tamsin Fitzgerald and executive director Ian Abbott, the award winning, international dance company produces innovative, accomplished and aspirational artistic performances alongside an ambitious participation programme and captivating community dance initiatives that truly reflect the landscape in which they are based. This allows the company to tell new and original stories, generating distinctive new work, whilst striving to stay relevant to their audiences. 2Faced Dance tours extensively across the UK and internationally and aims to work with cutting edge and culturally diverse collaborators, venues, organisations and individuals. The company supports and mentors local artists whilst advocating on behalf of the wider dance industry by challenging and inspiring different sectors of society. 2Faced Dance is a registered charity and is supported using public funding by Arts Council England. 

www.2faceddance.co.uk

[Peter Thomas-Cruttwell]

Some good news for Hereford