Almost half a million pounds is being spent on arts organisations in Huddersfield.
Arts Council England has granted The Contemporary Music Festival £274,000, while the Lawrence Batley Theatre is getting £145,000.
The festival’s cash boost comes in two parts - £160,000 to help British musicians showcase new and experimental music before an international audience during the next two festivals, and £114,000 to support the festival’s fund-raising activities for the next three years and provide matched funding.
Festival organisers learned they had received both grants just 24 hours apart.
They said the money would be spent to commission new works established and emerging artists, and bring in people from around the world to experience it.
Artistic director Graham McKenzie said: “The awards are a real vote of confidence in the on-going development of HCMF as a forward-looking arts organisation, as well as recognising its importance in the national and international landscape of contemporary and experimental music.”
Festival manager Rosie Hughes says the money will be used to commission and produce new works from established and emerging artists.
Artistic director Graham McKenzie said: “The awards are a real vote of confidence in the on-going development of HCMF as a forward-looking arts organisation, as well as recognising its importance in the national and international landscape of contemporary and experimental music.”
In its 39th year, the festival attracts up to 10,000 people every year and is billed as the leading event of its kind in the country. It lays claim to having featured virtually all major living composers and key members of the music profession.
Meanwhile the Lawrence Batley Theatre’s £145,000 funding will be used to explore new ways to fundraise and attract more private giving.
Theatre director Victoria Firth said: “This grant will make a huge difference to the LBT and enable us to protect and develop our ambition in the coming years.
“Our recent 21 st birthday celebrations showed the long standing and new relationships that it is possible for us to share with our local community and this award gives us ways to explore this further for the benefit of artists and audiences.”
