COLCHESTER’S arts venues are to receive a major cash injection worth in excess of £2.8million from Arts Council England (ACE).

Firstsite, Mercury Theatre, and the Colchester and Ipswich Museums Service (CIMS) are going to receive a combined total of £2,815,245 from 2023 to 2026 as part of the funding package, which will allow the institutions to continue running workshops, classes, exhibitions, and shows for members of the public.

As well as receiving £1,194,048, CIMS also maintained its national portfolio organisation status; this allows the organisation to receive a sizeable chunk of funding for its venues, which include Colchester Castle, the Natural History Museum, and the Hollytrees Museum.

Colchester Council’s Pam Cox, who is the portfolio holder for culture and heritage, said maintaining the national portfolio status was particularly important.

She said: “It will enable us to continue to provide our outstanding services and attract more visitors who can enjoy the many nationally important objects and treasures we hold across the joint service.”

Firstsite received a support package worth £829,515 from ACE; the Mercury, which is marking its 50th anniversary this year, is being supported by a total of £791,682.

The awards from ACE come as a welcome boost for Colchester’s arts scene, which was hit hard by the Covid-19 lockdown; the Mercury, for example, relied on a £125,000 lifeline in the form of the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund last year.

Firstsite director Sally Shaw, who received an MBE in 2020, said the funding package from ACE will help the venue to inspire people in Colchester through the expressive and creative arts.

She said: “We are hugely grateful to Arts Council England for their continued support.

“Their recommitment to Firstsite will help us continue the work to we do in our building and online, supporting our local community to access art and creativity and experience the benefits which being creative brings.”

Meanwhile, the Mercury will continue to seek income from other sources and donations in addition to the £791,682 grant.

Executive producer Steve Mannix said: “These are challenging times for everyone as we all continue to recover from the pandemic and face the cost-of-living crisis.

“We’re extremely pleased to have our plans supported by the Arts Council as a national body.”