DARLINGTON Hippodrome is among the North-East arts venues to receive thousands of pounds in Government funding.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and Arts Council England announced eight Tees Valley arts venues and groups will share £1,521,681 to help them face the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.

Darlington's Hippodrome has been awarded £1,000,000 and eight other Tees Valley organisations receiving a share include ArtAV Ltd in Thornaby, the Saltburn Community and Arts Association and Stellar Projects in Stockton.

Sarah Maxfield, area director north, Arts Council England, said: “The pandemic has had a massive impact on the whole range of organisations working in the North’s cultural sector - theatres, music venues, festivals, museums and the companies who support them with technical sound, light and staging services.

"The cultural sector makes a huge contribution to The North’s economy, quality of life and communities.

"Today we are announcing much needed investment and support from the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund to a group of organisations across the North - with more announcements in the coming weeks - providing an essential lifeline so the cultural sector can survive and come back strongly in the future.”