Funding to help Events

Argyll and Bute Council will invest up to £250,000 in events and festivals to help the local economy combat the impact of COVID-19.

A range of cultural events, which had been awarded grants by the council’s Strategic Events and Festivals Fund and Supporting Communities Fund, cannot go ahead in 2020/21 because of COVID-19 restrictions.

The council’s Business Continuity Committee agreed three measures today to address this and the impact on the economy:

• Grants awarded by the Supporting Communities Fund for events to take place in 2020/21 can now be used to deliver the events next year
• The council will provide up to 75% of costs incurred by organisers of events that cannot no longer take place because of COVID-19 restrictions, and
• The council will make an additional £90,000 available for local events, with the application process for this funding opening towards the end of this year.

Argyll and Bute Council’s Economic Recovery plan.

The plan sets out short, medium and long-term measures to support local business sectors and the wider community to move on from the impact of COVID-19.

These actions include:

• Setting up the Argyll and Bute Economic Resilience Forum to bring together public and private sectors to identify issues and progress solutions. Members include the council, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), Scottish Enterprise, Visit Scotland and private sector representatives including local Chambers of Commerce, BIDs groups and key business sectors such as tourism, agriculture, aquaculture, construction and fisheries.
• Gathering data on the economic impact of the pandemic and seeking Government support on issues facing our rural economy.
• Progressing the Argyll Rural Growth Deal (RGD) to put at least £50 million of UK and Scottish Government funding to work for Argyll and Bute as quickly as possible.
• Providing local business with over £30 million in Government grant funding
• Providing businesses with social distancing information and other ways to keep staff, customers and local communities safe
• Moving forward with funding bids and tender exercises so that area regeneration activity can recommence as soon as lockdown restrictions permit.

Downloads

Economic Recovery Plan Update
Appendix A – Diagaram
Appendix B Economic Recovery Plan