A government minister says it will be the Arts Council who hold the purse strings for any future venue in Preston.
Nearly 3,000 people have now signed our petition calling for Preston to have a major venue again as Preston Guild Hall’s future continues to remain unclear.
Ian Murray MP, who is Minister for Creative Industries, Media and Arts has responded to a letter sent by Preston MP Sir Mark Hendrick to the Secretary of State Lisa Nandy which urged the government to step in and provide economic support for either repairing or rebuilding the Guild Hall.
Read more: Preston ‘consigned to cultural margins’ without a city venue say major arts organisation
Mr Murray in his response says he understands the need for ‘renewed momentum’ with the Guild Hall having been shuttered since 2019.
He said in the letter seen by Blog Preston: “I appreciate you taking the time to share your vision for a major venue in the city and the importance of this asset to Preston’s cultural and economic landscape. The Guild Hall’s long history as a hub for performances, community events and commerce, underlines the role such venues play in supporting local identity, pride and economic vitality. I recognise the strength of feeling locally about its closure and the need for renewed momentum.
“We are committed to supporting arts and culture right across the country. Last year arts projects in Preston received over £450,000 of public funding through Arts Council England with almost £6.5 million going to arts organisations and projects across Lancashire. This demonstrates the continued investment being made, although I acknowledge the specific gap left by the loss of a large-scale, central venue.”
He goes on to outline how funding for supporting a venue would come from the ‘arms-length body’ Arts Council England.
Mr Murray writes: “We recognise the value of a modern, fit-for-purpose venue to meet cultural, social, and business needs.
“As the principal arms-length body for funding and developing arts and culture, Arts Council England (ACE) is best placed to provide expert advice on funding streams and the strategic development of cultural infrastructure.
“I would therefore encourage you to engage directly with ACE to discuss potential funding avenues and continue your collaboration with local partners to find a sustainable solution for the city.”
Last year we reported how Preston was the worst funded city for creatives in England, after analysis ranked everywhere based on Arts Council England funding.
And this week’s Arts Everywhere fund, announced by Lisa Nandy in conjunction with Arts Council England, saw £130million handed out to 130 cultural venues, museums and libraries – with no money committed to Preston.
In light of the Minister’s response – which is similar to a response sent by DCMS to Preston Partnership and Preston Business Improvement District’s letters backing our petition – we have amended our petition to urge Arts Council England and the chief executive Darren Henley to look at how they can support Preston having a major venue again.
We urge you to sign the petition and if you’ve already signed it to share it round on social media or directly with five people you think might want to sign it.
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