Government announces major £270 million culture fund to help arts venues

The government has announced a major funding package aimed at increasing access to arts and culture across the country.

More than £270 million will be distributed to arts venues, museums, libraries, and heritage buildings through the newly launched “Arts Everywhere Fund”. According to the government, the funding is designed to protect jobs, provide opportunities for young people to develop creative skills, and support local economies.

The initiative forms part of the government’s Plan for Change and follows the 60th anniversary of the first arts white paper, introduced by former Minister Jennie Lee. At an event held at the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon, culture secretary Lisa Nandy set out how the vision of “arts for everyone, everywhere” will be realised through targeted investment.

Funding allocations for the next financial year include £85 million for urgent capital works under the Creative Foundations Fund, £25 million for a fifth round of the Museum Estate and Development Fund, and £20 million for the Museum Renewal Fund to protect civic museums. An additional £15 million will be provided to restore at-risk heritage buildings, while the Libraries Improvement Fund will receive £5.5 million to modernise facilities. A further £4.85 million will be invested in the Heritage Revival Fund to enable local communities to preserve neglected heritage sites.

National cultural institutions will also benefit from £120 million in continued support through the Public Bodies Infrastructure Fund, alongside a five per cent budget increase for national museums and galleries. The government has also confirmed £3.2 million in funding for four cultural education programmes, ensuring continued access to arts for children and young people.

The announcement follows a recent £67 million investment in ten major cultural projects across the UK, including the National Railway Museum in York, the International Slavery Museum and Maritime Museum in Liverpool, and the National Poetry Centre in Leeds. These projects are expected to support regional growth and regeneration.

The Royal Shakespeare Company welcomed the investment, describing it as an essential intervention to address infrastructure challenges in the sector. Artistic directors Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey, alongside executive director Andrew Leveson, stated: “We stand ready to work with the government and other stakeholders to ensure that theatre buildings are effectively maintained and put to the most effective use in creating impactful programmes of work that, true to Jennie Lee’s legacy, make the arts accessible to as many people as possible.”

Details on how to apply for funding under the Arts Everywhere Fund will be made available in due course.