We will be scrutinising the details of this package to make sure it lives up to the real needs of our sector

Bectu has responded to the announcement of financial support for cultural and arts institutions.

Philippa Childs, Head of Bectu, said:

“At long last the government have woken up to our warnings and those of the whole creative sector, that without support, we stood to lose a huge amount of our world-beating creative industries.

“We will now be scrutinising the details of this package to make sure it lives up to the real needs of our sector.

“We must see the most rapid action to stem the tide of redundancies and closures that are emerging in the sector. For some this is already too late and we will be pushing government to get this funding out there within days.

“The terms of these grants and loans must recognise that there is still a long journey to recovery for theatres and live events and this package is the first cautious step towards reviving the sector.”

“While this support was necessary, the government also needs to think again on support for the forgotten freelancers. They have fallen through the gaps in government support, and it is a scandal that they have been ignored by the government so far.”

Prospect General Secretary Mike Clancy has responded to the news for the wider cultural sector.