ORGANISATIONS which support the arts in north Essex have been handed tens of thousands of pounds to help survive the coronavirus crisis.

Government-funded body the Arts Council announced £826,314 has been awarded to 124 individuals and groups across Essex through an emergency response package.

The funding is in place to help alleviate pressures faced by artists, creative practitioners, museums and libraries throughout the summer.

Colchester-based arts and education charity Signals, which provides media courses and workshops, received £30,000 to keep its head above water.

Harwich Electric Palace Trust, which is raising funds to ensure vital repairs can be completed at the historic Electric Palace cinema, was handed £5,905.

Other north Essex causes to benefit from funding included Essex Book Festival, which received £12,000, Roman River Music, supported with £20,371, and Manningtree’s Grand Theatre of Lemmings, which received £22,000.

In all, 29 independent organisations were awarded a total of £607,442 in Essex

Hedley Swain, the Arts Council’s area director for the South East, said: “Our sector is in unprecedented times and I am very pleased that we have been able to award so many grants in Essex and beyond in such a short timeframe.

“We’re extremely grateful to our partners for helping us to get this critical funding to artists, creative practitioners, arts organisations, museums and libraries – who use their creativity to benefit communities in villages, towns and cities across the country.

“I want to particularly thank National Lottery players without whom none of this would be possible, as nearly 90 per cent of our budget for our emergency response funding came from the National Lottery.”