CATALYST has received emergency funding as part of the government's £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund.

The science discovery centre in Widnes is among 165 arts and culture organisations in the north west which will take a £30.6million share of £257million awarded in the first funding round.

All the venues have been shut or had their service severely limited by the coronavirus crisis.

The Mersey Road museum will receive a £162,000 grant.

Arts Council England revealed that more than 1,385 venues and organisations across the UK are set to benefit from the funding, which is being distributed on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS).

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “The government is here for culture and we have worked around the clock to get this funding to arts organisations.

Runcorn and Widnes World:

"It will give many of our wonderful theatres, museums, art groups and cultural venues a helping hand to get them back on their feet. This money will get to work right across the country to save these places and protect jobs and hundreds of millions pounds is on the way for cultural organisations of all sizes that still need our help.”

Sarah Maxfield, area director north for Arts Council England added: “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. 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.”

Further allocations of grants and loans will be announced in the coming weeks.