UK Government announces Bumper £1.5 Billion Package to restore National Pride

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has announced that £1.5 billion will be invested to save more than 1000 arts venues, museums and libraries across England from closure. The move will fix urgent capital needs and open access to culture for everyone, everywhere.

As the cost of living continues to affect families across Britain, funding for our treasured cultural venues will ensure vital, affordable and welcoming spaces are available for communities to come together and celebrate what makes their local area special. Another investment this Government is putting in place to support families with the cost of living.

This cash boost will help restore national pride in community assets, bring people together and support no or low-cost options for days out as part of the government’s drive to support families with the cost of living. Six DCMS sponsored museums are in the top ten most visited sites in the UK offering free access for millions of Brits each year with this package helping to offer opportunities to engage in culture for families across every community in England. 

This will help to build on the government’s Plan For Change by increasing opportunities for people to engage in and experience world class arts and culture, and learn about their local history, their heritage and their neighbours, in every town and city across the country. 

Cash will be invested in areas and organisations that need it most and that have been previously under-funded, following over a decade of underfunding in England’s much loved community assets.

It includes more than £100 million specifically earmarked for local museums struggling with maintenance backlogs and bills. This is expected to directly support up to 200 sites across the country.

The move supports the Prime Minister’s ambition to restore pride in every part of Britain, turning the page on a decade of neglect in our communities while placing culture back at the heart of our national identity. 

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: " At a time when forces seek to divide us, arts, culture and heritage are what bind us together. Our local cultural institutions aren’t just buildings — they’re part of who we are as a nation, they help tell our national story, and provide unique opportunities for young people to pursue their dreams.  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. That is the Britain we are rebuilding."

Today’s announcement confirms that over the course of this parliament £1.5 billion will be invested in capital projects across the arts, cultural and heritage sectors. 

The £1.5 billion of funding is made up of:

• £760 million for museums:
  • £600 million infrastructure funding which will support national museums and DCMS sponsored cultural organisations. Funding will address critical maintenance and works to estates, and enable these institutions to deliver on their commitments to share their collections and expertise nationally, drawing in visitors from around the world.
  • £160 million will be invested in our local and regional museums. The Museum Estates and Development Fund will help museums tackle maintenance backlogs, and a new £13.6 million Museum Transformation programme will support organisations to move towards more sustainable business models.
• £425 million Creative Foundations Fund which will support approximately 300 capital projects in arts venues across the country
• £230 million for heritage protecting and preserving heritage buildings, including listed places of worship, across the country: 
  • £75 million for at risk heritage which provides grants towards repairs and conservation of historic buildings. 
  • £46 million for the Heritage Revival Fund which helps communities to take control of and look after local heritage and bring buildings back into public use.
  • In recognition of the important role religious heritage buildings play in the UK’s national story, a new £92 million fund called the Places of Worship  Renewal Fund will replace the £23 million Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme and bring these important buildings into line with other heritage assets. It will give them access to the same level of financial support from the government as historic houses, monuments and other heritage sites. 
• £27.5 million for Libraries Improvement Fund which supports public libraries to upgrade their buildings and technology to meet changing needs to better serve their communities.
• £80 million capital funding over four years to benefit National Portfolio organisations that receive regular investment from Arts Council England. This is part of a 5% uplift next year for these organisations that will help deliver arts and culture activity in every local authority. 

The Arts Everywhere Fund will be integral to utilising investment in arts and culture as a catalyst for local growth in the cultural and creative industries and in supporting local venues to achieve their full potential. Funding will support communities across the country and focus on disadvantaged areas. 

Anthony Gormley said: "I am delighted to hear our government is delivering for the arts through this serious uplift in funding."

Grayson Perry said: "This is good news and will ensure that many more people across the country can access and enjoy the arts, culture and heritage."

Main Image: Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy