A six-figure boost has been handed to five arts and cultural organisations in Cumbria.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport and Arts Council England today announced that Workington's Carnegie and Arts Centre, Solfest, Signal Film and Media, Lakeland Arts and Millom Discovery Centre were all to get cash from the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund.

The Carnegie Theatre will benefit to the tune of £136, 150, with popular festival Solfest gaining £100,000.

Lakeland Arts in Windermere got the biggest

Cumbrian share with £243,408 while Barrow's Signal Film and Media got £75,000 and

Millom Discovery Centre £52,000.

Today’s recipients applied for grants of under £1 million in the second round of the Culture Recovery Fund.

This funding will help organisations create work and performances, and plan for reopening. Although many were still active in lockdown using creative ways to reach audiences.

The funding distributed today follows £257 million awarded to 1385 organisations on Monday. Further announcements on the funding administered by Arts Council England will follow soon; applicants for grants of over £1 million, and those that applied to the Repayable Finance programme, will be notified of their outcomes shortly.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “This is more vital funding to protect cultural gems across the country, save jobs and prepare the arts to bounce back.

"Through Arts Council England we are delivering the biggest ever investment in the arts in record time. Hundreds of millions of pounds are already making their way to thousands of organisations.

“These awards build on our commitment to be here for culture in every part of the country.”

Sarah Maxfield, Area Director North, Arts Council England said: “The pandemic has had a massive impact on the whole range of organisations working in the North’s cultural sector – theatres, music venues, festivals, museums and the companies who support them with technical sound, light and staging services. The cultural sector makes a huge contribution to The North’s economy, quality of life and communities.

"Today we are announcing much needed investment and support from the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund to a group of organisations across the North – with more announcements in the coming weeks – providing an essential lifeline so the cultural sector can survive and come back strongly in the future.”