London’s cultural and exhibition venue icon Alexandra Palace has been saved from the risk of closure thanks to a £2.9m (US$3.82m) funding lifeline from the UK Government’s Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage.
The grant will enable the ownership Trust to maintain the listed Palace and 196-acre Park and help deliver Alexandra Palace’s programme of events.
The vast heritage site is one of the country’s largest independent venues which, in a normal year, delivers over 250 events, provides more than 20,000 work opportunities and contributes nearly £170m to the wider economy.
Ros Kerslake, CEO of the National Lottery Heritage Fund said: “Alexandra Palace is a jewel in the crown of London’s heritage. Like so many organisations that rely on visitor income from events, from snooker to summer festivals, the Trust was facing a perilous future due to the Covid-19 crisis… We are delighted to be part of helping them to survive and thrive through this difficult time.”
‘Ally Pally’ was built in 1873 as the People’s Palace, a home for entertainment for the population of London and beyond but had to close its doors in March this year as its schedule of events underwent a significant cancellation and rescheduling process. The venue’s history includes being the site of the first-ever high definition television broadcast in 1936 and an internment camp during World War 1.
In September, working in partnership with the English National Opera, the first ever Drive-In Opera production was staged in the grounds. Other live performances got partially underway this autumn before the most recent lockdown was announced. The recent announcement from the Professional Darts Corporation that the 2020/21 William Hill World Darts Championship will go ahead at the iconic venue, beginning 15 December, with fans, has been good news for the venue’s economic balance.
London’s Southbank Centre and Royal Albert Hall have also benefitted from the latest round of grants and loans from the UK government’s Cultural Recovery Fund, which is providing £165m in repayable finance to support 11 cultural organisations and venues. The funding consists of ‘bespoke loans’ with an initial repayment holiday of up to four years, a low interest rate and up to 20-year repayment terms.
UK culture secretary Oliver Dowden said: “This government promised it would be here for culture and today’s announcement is proof we’ve kept our word.
“The £1bn invested so far through the Culture Recovery Fund has protected tens of thousands of jobs at cultural organisations across the UK, with more support still to come through a second round of applications.
“Today we’re extending a huge helping hand to the crown jewels of UK culture – so that they can continue to inspire future generations all around the world.”
Photo courtesy of Alexandra Palace / Lloyd Winters
