The visual arts festival Wells Art Contemporary has received £5,300 from the Arts Council England to help it survive the coronavirus crisis.

The event, which normally takes place in the city in July and August and attracts artists from all over the world, has received the grant from the Arts Council's emergency response fund.

Their grant is part of the £8.5 million that has been awarded to 873 individuals and 302 independent organisations across the South West through the Covid-19 emergency response package, thanks to the National Lottery and Government.

Wells Art Contemporary was established in 2012 by a group of artists and their friends in the city and it presents two major international initiatives which take place in Wells Cathedral.

The Wells Art Contemporary (WAC) Awards is an international open competition for contemporary visual arts which has established a strong presence in the London art world and which is drawing artists from places as diverse as Australia, Azerbaijan, India, Italy, Korea, Japan and the United States.

Open to artists working in painting, sculpture, drawing, printmaking, photography, installation or video, the WAC Awards aim to stimulate debate, challenge and provoke, pushing the boundaries of the visual arts scene both nationally and internationally.

Alongside the open exhibition there is an opportunity for a select number of artists to propose site specific, fine art interventions within the cathedral.

Announced in March, the Arts Council's emergency response package was designed to help alleviate the immediate pressures faced by artists, creative practitioners, arts organisations, museums, and libraries over summer – supporting them as they continue to serve their communities during this crisis and affording them the time to stabilise and plan for the future.

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Phil Gibby, area director for Arts Council England South West, said: "We're proud to have turned this emergency funding programme around in such a short space of time, with the help from our partners in Government and from our team members working in their home offices.

"Arts Council has been able to award these grants at a critical time, to so many brilliant artists, creative practitioners and cultural organisations who suddenly found themselves in a difficult position due to Covid-19.

"The creative and cultural sector helps to generate the local economy, provides jobs, improves people's wellbeing and helps us to make sense of the world.

"And like so many other sectors, it has never faced a challenge of this scale which is why we are pleased to make this funding announcement today (June 16), in the knowledge that this funding will not just keep the lights on but will also connect many people at this challenging time."

Caroline Dinenage, Minister of State for Digital and Culture in the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, said: "From streaming performances online to virtual exhibitions, the UK's arts community has been extremely innovative to make sure audiences across the nation and beyond can enjoy our world-class cultural offerings in the comfort and safety of their own homes.

"I am pleased that thousands of organisations and artists have benefited from these funds to help them through these tough times.

"I will continue to be a strong champion of our arts sector and do all I can to help its recovery given the positive impact it has on so many people's lives. "