LOCHGELLY Centre has received emergency funding to prevent the curtain falling at the theatre for the last time.

With venues closed across the country and scores of shows and concerts cancelled due to the pandemic, there are real fears about the future of the arts.

But there is a sigh of relief after Fife Cultural Trust applied for help from the Performing Arts Venues Relief Fund and received £230,000.

That will help Lochgelly Centre, as well as Carnegie Hall in Dunfermline, the Adam Smith Theatre in Kirkcaldy and Rothes Halls in Glenrothes, to protect jobs and stave off any imminent threat of insolvency.

The Alhambra Theatre in Dunfermline and the Byre in St Andrews also received grants.

Cowdenbeath MSP Annabelle Ewing said: "Our theatres and performing arts venues here in Fife are an important part of Scotland’s culture but the creative industries have been hit really hard by this pandemic with theatres effectively having to close their doors overnight.

“These steps were necessary to protect lives, but the SNP government has acted quickly to help these venues survive.

“I am pleased, therefore that six separate venues across Fife they will receive support totalling over half a million pounds aimed at removing the threat of insolvency and protecting jobs from redundancy and I am delighted that the Lochgelly Centre in my constituency is one of those being supported."

The Lochgelly Centre was one of 59 venues across Scotland that received a total of £4.74m from the Scottish Government fund through Creative Scotland.

This follows on from £7.5m that was previously awarded to 20 venues.

The aim of the fund is to remove the threat of insolvency prior to the end of March 2021 and enable the development and delivery of activity as soon as practicable.

The money will allow staff to return from furlough or avoid redundancy and increase commissioning and employment opportunities for freelance artists and creative practitioners.

Iain Munro, CEO of Creative Scotland, said: “Despite the ongoing, detrimental impact that the Covid-19 pandemic is having on Scotland’s performing arts venues, and on culture as a whole, it is positive that we can offer some funding to help venues navigate these extremely challenging times.

"I’m also encouraged to see that this funding will help venues across many different parts of Scotland where they form such an important part of the cultural life of local communities.”