North East mayor Kim McGuinness has launched a £2.2 million Small Venues Fund to protect grassroots venues from rising costs, offering grants of £3,000 to £100,000. The three-year fund aims to support venues with a capacity of 300 seated or 500 standing, helping them invest in new infrastructure, equipment, and revenue-making operations.
Funding Details and Timeline
The fund will deliver grants between £3,000 and £100,000 for eligible venues. An initial round of applications is expected to open this autumn, with £800,000 available in the first year. The announcement was made at Independent, a venue in Sunderland city centre, on Thursday evening.
Mayor's Statement
Ms McGuinness said: "Our incredible grassroots venues are under threat, yet they bring so much to our region. They’re places where artists perform for the first time, friends come together and memories are made. I want to see them thriving and that’s exactly what this fund is about. Protecting the places where our brilliant home-grown talent takes its first steps and legacies are started. This is just part of my plan to make sure culture thrives in the North East, from first gigs to big stages, to skills and training, to backing brilliant events that local people across the region can enjoy."
Impact on Local Talent
Newcastle-based comedian Lauren Pattison described the region’s small stages as a "crucial stepping stone" that allow fresh talent to learn, develop and build an audience. She added: "They’re a launchpad for careers and an all-important place for local people to get behind their own and support local talent."
Venue Owner's Warning
Ben Humphrey, from The Straw Yard in Berwick, warned that rising bills are forcing some venues to close down and mean that income from audiences is no longer enough to sustain some ventures. He said: "Venues are much more than performance spaces, they’re where communities are from, where people socialise, and where local culture actually lives. Small venues especially are a breeding ground for performers looking to develop their skills and experience and are therefore essential to the cultural ecosystem, not just locally, but nationally as well. It is hard for venues right now; rising prices means some venues are being forced to close and they can’t rely on audiences to sustain their operations. It is tragic, because without them, the North East loses part of its soul."
Broader Cultural Investment
The mayor has previously promised action to breathe fresh life into the North East’s struggling high streets and to pump significant investment into the cultural sector, most notably through the building of the Crown Works film and TV studios in Sunderland.
