Arts Organisations Welcome U.K. Government’s £1.5b Investment in Culture
Five‑year plan will ‘keep the doors open and the lights on’ at galleries, museums, libraries and arts organisations and ‘act as a lifeline for heritage’. Save to My OculaMuseums, galleries and membership bodies across England have welcomed the U.K. government’s plans to invest £1.5 billion into cultural venues across the next five years.
The sum, confirmed yesterday by the culture secretary Lisa Nandy, will be split between national and local museums, heritage buildings, libraries and other organisations that receive funding via Arts Council England.
In a statement, Nandy said: ‘At a time when forces seek to divide us, arts, culture and heritage are what bind us together.
‘...This funding will keep the doors open and the lights on at thousands of arts organisations, museums, libraries and heritage buildings that might otherwise have been at real risk of closing. It will unlock opportunities for millions of people who have been shut out for far too long.’
The announcement follows years of public funding cuts across the cultural sector, and an autumn budget in which U.K. chancellor Rachel Reeves made little to no mention of the creative industries.
Which organisations will be eligible for funding?
The biggest chunk of funding has been earmarked for museums and cultural organisations that are funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), which include the British Museum and National Gallery.
These organisations will receive a share of £600 million to address critical maintenance and works to estates, alongside delivering on their commitments to sharing collections and expertise.
Laura Pye, chair of the National Museum Directors Council, said: ‘Today’s announcement from the secretary of state is a massive vote of confidence in the importance of culture to our nation.
‘Investment in museum maintenance—both for regional and national institutions—is essential if we are to protect our shared heritage and ensure our collections can be enjoyed for generations to come.’
In a roundly celebrated move, £160 million will be invested into local and regional museums via the Museum Estates and Development Fund, and will be used to tackle maintenance backlogs. Lisa Ollerhead, director of the Association of Independent Museums (AIM), described such work as ‘urgent’ for AIM’s members.
A new, £13.6 million Museum Transformation programme will also support local and regional organisations in moving towards what the DCMS described as ‘more sustainable business models’.
Ollerhead told Ocula: ‘We also look forward to exploring the details of the Museum Transformation programme, which couldn’t be more timely; we know traditional operating models are becoming increasingly difficult to maintain.’
The Creative Foundations Fund will receive £425 million to support approximately 300 capital projects in arts venues across the country. The capital fund, managed by Arts Council England (ACE), provides grants of up to £10 million to support cultural organisations in ‘revitalising, restoring, retrofitting, or renewing’ their assets, according to the organisation’s website.
Darren Henley, chief executive of ACE, said in a statement: ‘This is a big boost for the arts organisations, museums and libraries that are the beating heart of towns and cities across England. The government’s new investment will help grow our creative and cultural economy, enabling our dedicated and talented cultural workforce to deliver more inspiring work for more people in more places.’
A further £80 million in capital funding will be made available over the next four years to National Portfolio organisations that receive regular investment from Arts Council England.
Funding totalling approximately £257 million will be shared between heritage buildings—including places of worship—and libraries. Lord Mendoza, chairman of Historic England, described the move as a ‘a clear signal that the government recognises that the nation’s historic places matter deeply to people’.
He added: ‘This funding will act as a lifeline for heritage across the country, from places of worship to ancient pubs and will give the heritage sector a well-needed boost.’
Details of how organisations can apply to individual funding schemes are yet to be published by the DCMS. —[O]
Main image: Photo: Ben Elliott.
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