£3 million funding boost given to sports and cultural events in the West Midlands
It's from the Commonwealth Games legacy fund.
Last updated 3rd Jan 2024
Nine cultural and sporting events, set to take place across the Midlands, have been given a share of £3 million to help bring hundreds of thousands of people together in the region.
Giving an estimated £11.5 million boost to the local economy, almost 700,000 competitors, performers and spectators are expected to attend the events in 2024 and 2025 to celebrate the region’s rich and diverse sporting, music and cultural heritage.
The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and the UK Government is supporting the organisers with money from the £70 million Games underspend which is being reinvested back into the region.
Events getting a share of the cash:
- ESL One - Dota II esports tournament, Solihull, 26-28 April 2024 - £145,000
- European Judo Union Junior Cup, Walsall, 15-19 June 2024 – £250,000
- Black Country Festival, 1-31 July, 2024 - £365,000
- Godiva Festival ‘Worldwide Welcome’, Coventry, 5-7 July 2024 - £500,000
- Reggae Fever - Celebration of Caribbean Culture, Coventry, 20 July 2024 - £250,000
- Birmingham Weekender Festival, 22-25 August 2024 - £350,000
- SuperDome esports tournament, Solihull, 5-8 September - £250,000
- West Midlands Urban Sports, Wolverhampton, 6-8 September 2024 - £390,000
- Kabaddi World Cup, 24-31 March 2025 - £500,000
Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands and WMCA chair, Beverley Knight, said: “It was always our intention that the Commonwealth Games should leave a lasting legacy far beyond the sporting spectacle - as wonderful as that was.
“With this £3 million of Games legacy funding, we’re turning words into action. This money will help us to host the Kabaddi World Cup and will support the organisers of well-established local events such as the Godiva Festival in Coventry, Birmingham Weekender and the Black Country Festival - alongside some new events.
“Collectively, this backing will bring in hundreds of thousands of people to our region, give a welcome boost to local businesses and provide valuable jobs and volunteering opportunities for local people. I look forward to seeing the difference this support makes on the ground and celebrating all that is great about the West Midlands in the months and years ahead.”