You’ll have heard that New Brewery Arts received a grant from the Cultural Recovery Fund. This week I was asked why we’re increasing our class fees while getting public funding. It’s a sensible question and one worth an answer.
The answer involves three things; how New Brewery Arts is usually funded, what the Cultural Recovery Grant is for and how we’re changing what we do in response to COVID.
You may not know, but in normal years we receive no government funding to support our work or shield us from difficult times. Locally there are cultural organisations that receive support every year from local and national government funds. We apply when possible, but there’s not been enough government funding for all organisations that apply, instead we’ve become successful at being self-reliant.
So we are thrilled to receive public funding now when we truly need it. The Cultural Recovery Grant has been pivotal in keeping New Brewery Arts afloat. It has enabled us to pay our bills and cover ongoing costs in 2020 when our usual income completely disappeared. We had half a year without any income from classes, and income from every thing we do was (and continues to be) dramatically reduced. The grant supports us until March 2021, then we return to standing alone without government funding. The £2 per class increase is not to recover losses from lockdown, instead it ensures we continue to pay our tutors a good fee. It ensures we cover the changes COVID entails such as smaller groups, fewer classes running simultaneously, extra cleaning and enough materials to ensure nothing is shared.
COVID has changed everything. We want to engage afresh with our purpose and values and create new ways of doing things. Research shows that regardless of skill level, taking part in activities like painting or pottery helps people manage their emotions, build confidence and explore solutions to problems. We know time spent being creative brings real benefit to health and mental wellbeing and we believe this is more important than ever. COVID-19 has given us time to evaluate our charitable impact and for 2021 we want everyone to benefit from creativity in their lives and their wider community.
In 2021 we’ll encourage and enable everyone to connect with their creativity. New Brewery Arts exhibitions are always free, and this will continue. We’ve relaunched our bursaries, which offer reduced fees to people in Gloucestershire and the Cotswolds who would greatly benefit from having access to craft and creativity in their lives but are prevented from doing so due to personal circumstances. We’re devising new projects with our local communities in 2021, in particular vulnerable communities and individuals facing increasing social inequality. We’ll continue to support the 500 plus creatives and crafts people we work with each year through subsidised studios, professional opportunities and employment as well as advice and support.
To do all this we need support from both funders and individuals like you. So thank you, being an active part of our programmes, engaging with us, reading this blog post demonstrates that you support our purpose to be here for everyone who needs creativity in their lives right now. If you are able to help us achieve more please donate and join us in our work. £2 per class, or a donation of £2 a month enables us to bring craft and creativity to all. The Cultural Recovery Fund recognised we are an organisation worthy of support, we hope you feel the same.
Beth Alden, CEO