The Black Country Dance Hub (BCDH) has been awarded 50,000 as part of the Governments 1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund (CRF) to help face the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic and to ensure they have a sustainable future, the Culture Secretary has announced today.

The Black Country Dance Hub is one of 1,385 cultural and creative organisations across the country receiving urgently needed support. 257 million of investment has been announced today as part of the very first round of the Culture Recovery Fund grants programme being administered by Arts Council England. Further rounds of funding in the cultural and heritage sector are due to be announced over the coming weeks.

The BCDH was established in 2013 Based at Walsall Arena & Arts Centre

BCDH is a Dance Organisation providing a wealth of cultural opportunity for children and young people. We particularly focus on those with limited access to arts experience and under – served groups

Providing subsidised professional Dance workshop and performance opportunities for children and young people across the Black Country and developing audiences of all ages with ticket subsidies for professional Dance performances we bring the Arts to local people

Thanks to this funding BCDH can re-ignite Professional Contemporary Dance Performance at the Walsall Arena & Arts Centre with Dance Companies performing live and socially distanced for Black Country communities, and facilitating Professional Companies working with children and young people providing an accessible rich cultural experience

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said:

This funding is a vital boost for the theatres, music venues, museums and cultural organisations that form the soul of our nation. It will protect these special places, save jobs and help the culture sectors recovery.

These places and projects are cultural beacons the length and breadth of the country. This unprecedented investment in the arts is proof this government is here for culture, with further support to come in the days and weeks ahead so that the culture sector can bounce back strongly.

Chair, Arts Council England, Sir Nicholas Serota, said:

Theatres, museums, galleries, dance companies and music venues bring joy to people and life to our cities, towns and villages. This life-changing funding will save thousands of cultural spaces loved by local communities and international audiences. Further funding is still to be announced and we are working hard to support our sector during these challenging times.

Maggie Lewis Director of BCDH, said:

We are so thankful for this injection of funding from the Cultural Recovery Fund to sustain our future as an organisation, and to enrich the arts and cultural landscape of the Black Country providing access to cultural experiences for local communities, children and young people