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ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND

Emergency Grassroots Music Venues Fund

Easy read version

We can make grants to grassroots live music venues that are struggling because of covid-19 This easy read guide explains what you can apply for and how to do it July 2020

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Emergency Grassroots Music Venues Fund Easy Read

Emergency Grassroots Music Venues Fund

This fund aims to help grassroots live music venues affected by covid-19 stay solvent until at least 30 September 2020

The Music Venue Trust’s guide to Defining GMVs explains what we mean by a grassroots live music venue

Through it we can support such genres as:

Popular music Rap, R&B and Hip Hop Rock and Blues Indie, Metal and Alternative Folk and World Acoustic Jazz Funk & Soul Classical Electronic, and many others

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Emergency Grassroots Music Venues Fund Easy Read

Who can apply?

Venues in England recognised as grassroots live music venues Your venue must have delivered at least one year’s worth of relevant work

This can include:

Pubs, clubs, cafes or bars that host live music

Nightclubs that regularly host DJ and MC based events and live music

Combined arts venues that host live music Community venues or village halls that host live music

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Emergency Grassroots Music Venues Fund Easy Read

For combined arts venues or community venues:

at least 70% of your overall programming must focus on grassroots live music

For all venues:

The music you show must be mainly original material and central to your venue’s business model

For example, other services such as food, drinks or merchandise are subsidiary or depend on live music

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Emergency Grassroots Music Venues Fund Easy Read

Who can’t apply?

There are some people or venues we can’t support through this fund. These include: Individual promoters, producers, bands, artists, agents or managers Venues outside England or who have delivered less than one year of work

Venues whose main purpose is anything other than presenting live grassroots music, such as serving food and drink

For example:

• karaoke bars

• pubs, clubs, bars and cafes for whom live music is not a main part of the business or who mainly host cover bands or tribute acts

• arenas, stadiums, concert halls or large venues that do not focus on grassroots music

• recording studios or rehearsal rooms

• producers, promoters and performers

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Emergency Grassroots Music Venues Fund Easy Read

Aims and priorities

We will focus our support on:

Places where there is a relatively low number of cultural organisations Vital cultural organisations in a place, well

used and valued by the community that

support creative and cultural opportunities

for all

Venues that support a diverse range of

local and/or national grassroots talent to

develop creatively and professionally

Venues that provide local or national

training opportunities for creatives and/or

other roles involved in the presentation of

grassroots live music

Fully accessible venues, for both

audiences and artists

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Emergency Grassroots Music Venues Fund Easy Read

What can I apply for?

You can apply for between £1,000 and £80,000 to pay for:

Costs taking place between 10 August 2020 and 30 September 2020

Including:

General running costs and overheads like ongoing rent, rates and utilities

Staffing and personnel costs

Short-term debt and losses as a result of covid-19

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Emergency Grassroots Music Venues Fund Easy Read

What can’t I apply for?

There are some things we can’t pay for through this fund. These include: Artistic programming – like a run of gigs at one or more venues Contributions to redundancy processes – making staff redundant

Building improvements and assets - Buying equipment or carrying out small building works

Significant historic debt

Reflating reserves

Costs or losses already funded by other

sources. This includes our Emergency

Response Fund and government schemes

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Emergency Grassroots Music Venues Fund Easy Read

How to apply

To apply, start a new application online. Choose Emergency Grassroots Music Venues Fund from the list. The fund opens Saturday 25 July 2020 The fund closes Monday 3 August 2020 12pm midday is the time for both opening and closing on these dates Your online profile must be set up by Thursday 30 July 2020

Our funding should be used during the period of 10 August 2020 – 30 September 2020

We aim to let you know our decision no later than 6pm on 10 August 2020

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Emergency Grassroots Music Venues Fund Easy Read

The application form

We will first ask for some Basic details including the amount you are requesting from us

We will then ask you four questions, and to upload some attachments about your budget

Over the next few pages, we will give you some detail to help you understand these questions and how to answer them To help you answer these questions, each question has a list of bullet points

These are also outlined in further detail in the main guidance

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Emergency Grassroots Music Venues Fund Easy Read

Tell us about your work and how it is significant in the grassroots live music scene across England

Include:

• how long the venue has been running grassroots live music

• the venue’s location

• how the loss of your venue would reduce opportunities for audiences, particularly for people from underserved groups in society and for young people

• how you provide support a diverse range of local and/or national grassroots talent to develop creatively and professionally

• how you provide local or national training opportunities for creatives and/or other roles involved in the presentation of grassroots live music

up to 2,000 characters including spaces, about 350 words

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Emergency Grassroots Music Venues Fund Easy Read

Tell us how this grant would help your organisation to trade through to 30 September 2020.

Consider all relevant Government guidance in place as of 20 July 2020 Tell us about any measures you have already put in place or would like to explore to ensure the viability and resilience of your organisation You will need to show that:

• your organisation was financially viable

before the Covid-19 pandemic took hold

• your organisation is at clear risk of

insolvency before 30 September 2020

• you have taken full advantage of other

Government schemes and measures which

have been introduced

• you have reduced your organisation’s core

costs in order to ensure it is more financially

resilient

up to 4,000 characters including spaces, about 700 words

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Emergency Grassroots Music Venues Fund Easy Read

Have you discussed reduced payments with landlords or other creditors?

If yes, what level of payment would meet these needs? This can help to support you to until 30 September. Detail the discussions you have had with landlords and other creditors about payments and payment terms – break these down by each supplier.

up to 2,000 characters including spaces, about 350 words

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Emergency Grassroots Music Venues Fund Easy Read

Is your venue fully accessible to both artists and audiences?

Tell us about your disability access provision, for example:

• lifts and wheelchair accessible ramps

• accessible spaces

• hearing induction loops

• relaxed performances

• work with d/Deaf and/or disabled groups

• are you a signatory to Attitude is Everything's Charter for Best Practice for music venues?

up to 2000 characters including spaces, about 350 words

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Emergency Grassroots Music Venues Fund Easy Read

Attachments We will ask you for two attachments, we have provided templates to make this easier for you:

A cashflow document covering 1 March 2020 – 30 September 2020. This should show incoming and outgoing money over this period and a running total.

A completed budget template covering 1 March 2020 – 30 September 2020

Go to our website to download and complete the two mandatory attachment templates.

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Emergency Grassroots Music Venues Fund Easy Read

Completing the budget - Income Tell us about any income between 1 March and 30 September 2020

Include any other emergency funding or income that you expect to receive from other sources

The types of income you might include are:

• earned income – from sales of tickets, food & drink or merchandise etc.

• grants from other public funding bodies

• donations or crowdfunding

There is no minimum match funding required for this fund. This means you can apply even if you have no money from other sources

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Emergency Grassroots Music Venues Fund Easy Read

Completing the budget - Expenditure

Tell us about how you will spend the income you expect to receive between up until 30 September 2020 The types of spending we expect to see are:

• staffing and personnel costs

• overheads – such as rent and business rates

• covid-19 related debt payments

Where possible, show us how you have calculated your costs

For example: 1 x staff member @ £500 per week for 6 weeks = £3,000

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Emergency Grassroots Music Venues Fund Easy Read

Help is at hand

Our friendly Customer Services team can help you with the form or talk about other ways we can help you For example, if you have any access needs, or use an access support worker

enquiries@artscouncil.org.uk

artscouncil.org.uk/contact-us

More help on answering the questions is in the main guidance, which is also available in Large Print

artscouncil.org.uk/emergencymusicvenuefund