An £18m support package for the creative industries, culture and sport sectors is to be delivered to safeguard businesses and jobs which have been hit by the coronavirus outbreak.

Museums, sports clubs, heritage and art organisations, music venues and libraries will be amongst those eligible for the funding which is being made available by the Welsh Government, the Arts Council for Wales and Sport Wales.

It includes £8m for sports clubs and partner networks and £7m for artists and arts organisations.

There will be a £1m Creative Wales fund to support grassroots music venues and provide extra help for the tv and publishing sector, with a further £1m Cultural Resilience fund for museums, collections, conservation services, archives and community and public libraries.

A £750,000 Emergency Relief Fund will be available for smaller sport, museum and heritage organisations, with a further £250,000 to enable public libraries to provide additional digital resources to the public.

Announcing the package of measures, Lord Elis-Thomas, the deputy minister for culture, sport and tourism, said: “We’ve listened to our many stakeholders in these vulnerable sectors.

“These are uncertain times for businesses and organisations across Wales and we recognise the massive and unprecedented challenges coronavirus is having on the fabric of Welsh life.

“The Welsh Government is committed to doing everything possible to support the resilience, creativity and partnership which is shown by the sector.

“I’d like to thank our partner organisations for working with us in delivering this additional package of support.

“Taking this further step will enable this sector to withstand this difficult time and to hopefully thrie again – and bring communities together once more when the emergency has passed.”