A SECOND wave of government funding for the arts and creative industries has been welcomed in the Basildon area, particularly at the Towngate Theatre which is to get £134,367.

That follows the award of £279,713 in October in the first tranche of funding from the government's Culture Recovery Fund to help face the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.

The second round of funding was announced today (Friday, 2 March) by Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden. 2,700 organisations are being offered nearly £400 million in grants and loans.

Among the beneficiaries in South Essex is True Staging. The stage making and events construction company based at the Radford Business Centre in Billericay receives £144,217.

W. A. H. events which is a Burstead-based company offering support services to the performing arts gets £56,215.

And Basildon-based Helen Arber Performing Arts which specialises in teaching musical theatre, drama and dance has been awarded £56,000.

News of support for the Towngate was greeted with gratitude by the chair of Basildon Council's Neighbourhoods and Public Spaces Committee, Cllr David Harrison who said: "The Towngate Theatre is a popular and much loved cultural hub for the town and seeing it through this difficult period for the theatre industry is so important.

"I cannot wait for shows to return there as soon as it is safe to do so."