We are delighted to announce that HOME has been awarded £3.9 million across three years and will remain in the Arts Council England National Portfolio for 2023 – 2026. We are hugely grateful to ACE for their continued support of HOME, our programme and the work that we do.
We are also pleased for our colleagues across the cultural sector who have received investment and recognise there will be those who may not have been successful. We will continue to work together to support the incredible work happening across the region and throughout the cultural sector.
The investment announced today is a key stone in a complex business model, which also includes local authority investment, ticket sales and donations. This significant investment from Arts Council England will enable us to continue our work with artists, communities, and audiences, with an on-going focus on our commitment to equality and diversity across all aspects of our work.
Over the next few years, we look forward to establishing new partnerships and connections, strengthening our position as a leading arts organisation, and supporting the cultural sector here in Manchester and beyond. The continued investment from Arts Council England enables us to play our social role in our city by developing artists, working with our communities and being an exciting destination for great shows, exhibitions, film–screenings and festivals.
Remaining in the National Portfolio enables us to continue to play a vital role in the arts ecology and economy of Greater Manchester. In 2019 / 2020, HOME had an economic impact of £24.9million, including £1 million health and wellbeing cost savings to the NHS.* After the pandemic, HOME also played a central role in regenerating cultural and economic activity in the city, with the introduction of our outdoor pop-up festival, Homeground. In addition to this, HOME supports hundreds of jobs and employs numerous freelancers.
With the investment announced today, we will continue to support the growth of the local economy and, although this does not go all the way to ensuring our financial resilience, securing funding from The Investment Programme is a very positive and important step towards our future ambitions, particularly at this challenging time for the cultural sector.
Dave Moutrey, CEO and Artistic Director said: “We are delighted to have received significant investment from Arts Council England and would like to thank them for their continued support of HOME. I am so proud of the team at HOME and the passion with which they work with artists and audiences to deliver brilliant work. This investment will greatly contribute to continuing this work, and will support our plans to reach even more people within our communities.
I am pleased to see continued cultural investment in Manchester and the North West. The funding announced today goes some way to supporting the ambitions of the region, however our thoughts are also with those organisations who have not secured funding today and we hope that they can find a way to secure their futures.”
Arts Council England Chief Executive, Darren Henley, said: “Together, each of the 990 organisations that have been offered funding today will contribute to a portfolio that is rich, varied and truly national. This is our widest ever spread of investment across the country, ensuring that many more people will have access to a wider choice of exceptional art, culture and creative opportunities on their doorsteps. We are in tough times but we must remember creativity brings with it extraordinary dividends, boosting our country’s economic growth, creating jobs, bringing communities closer together, and making us happier as individuals. Everyone deserves to enjoy the benefits it brings, and with this investment, we believe we’ve taken a decisive step towards making that vision a reality.”