Liverpool’s metro mayor has announced a £400,000 support package for the region’s music, film and TV industries.
A fund will provide up to £10,000 in grants or loans to support small and medium-sized businesses in the music sector.
Companies working in film or TV will be able to apply for investments of up to £25,000 per project to help them through the pandemic.
Liverpool’s mayor Steve Rotheram said that the industries covered by the support package are “at the beating heart” of the region’s identity and are responsible for 5,000 jobs, contributing £228 million to the local economy “in normal times”.
“It is absolutely vital that we do everything we can to protect and preserve our music, film and TV industries,” he added.
“We have not received extra money direct from Government to support them, but my team at the combined authority has worked incredibly hard with our partners to identify funds that were ear-marked for projects later in the year and brought them forward to make them available right now, when they are so urgently needed by the sector.
“Our aim is to support our businesses in this key sector to weather this storm, and to develop some of the brilliant ideas that we will need to shine a spotlight on the city region and get this vital sector back to full health, as we recover from the coronavirus crisis.”
The music fund and film and television fund will open for applications on Wednesday.
Michael Eakin, chair of the Liverpool City Region Music Board – who will oversee the music fund, said that the move “is a very welcome injection of investment into a sector which, like so many others, is really struggling”.
He added: “Small amounts of investment will ensure the survival of some of the crucial businesses and individuals who help make up the amazing ecology of our music sector, and will put us in a good place to bounce back strongly once this challenging moment is over.”
A Government spokeswoman said: “Government funding has enabled Arts Council England (ACE) to make £160 million of emergency cash available to help individuals and organisations in the creative industries – including those in Liverpool.
“This is on top of unprecedented measures Government is making to support the economy, including job retention and self employment schemes, and Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans.”