SETTLE Stories has been awarded £61,129 as part of the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund (CRF) to help face the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic and to ensure they have a sustainable future.

Settle Stories is one of 588 cultural and creative organisations across the country receiving urgently needed support – with £76 million of investment announced today. This follows £257 million awarded earlier in the week to 1,385 organisations, also from the Culture Recovery Fund grants programme being administered by Arts Council England on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

Despite the Covid 19 pandemic, Settle Stories didn’t cancel its 10th birthday celebrations.

Yorkshire Festival of Story was moved online. The charity delivered the programme with the same artists free, online to an international audience. The event increased attendance by more than 260 per cent

Now with support from this fund Settle Stories will translate more of their year round programme to the digital stage. This will include developing their schools programme with commissions including for Christmas, World Storytelling Day and World Book Day. In addition the organisation will develop further learning programmes and courses for adult audiences.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “This is more vital funding to protect cultural gems across the country, save jobs and prepare the arts to bounce back.

“These awards build on our commitment to be here for culture in every part of the country.”

Chairman of Arts Council England Sir Nicholas Serota, said: “Culture is an essential part of life across the country, helping to support people’s wellbeing through creativity and self-expression, bringing communities together, and fuelling our world class creative industries.”

Artistic Director, Settle Stories, Sita Brand added: “This offers certainty in uncertain times for our independent charity and means we have funding until March 2021.

“This means we can continue to collaborate with exceptional artists to create transformative experiences for people and communities.

“We’ve been very busy since lockdown to ensure our audience have access to our work. Now we can build on this success. Watch this space for more digital projects.”