Cultural venues in England to share £130m under Arts Everywhere scheme
Galleries, theatres, museums and libraries to benefit from largest cash injection into the arts for a decade
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More than 100 cultural venues, museums, and libraries will share £130m extra funding as part of the largest cash injection into the arts for a decade, ministers have announced.
The investment forms part of the Arts Everywhere Fund, a £1.5bn package to support cultural infrastructure projects over the course of this parliament, which was announced by the culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, earlier this year. The fund aims to save more than 1,000 arts venues, museums, libraries and heritage buildings across England.
On Tuesday it was announced that venues ranging from the Lowry Centre in Salford, the Hexagon in Reading and the Royal Shakespeare Company in Warwickshire will receive funding to help open up access to facilities, complete much needed building projects and upgrade technology on site.
The money will be administered and delivered by Arts Council England on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and is made up of three funds: the Creative Foundations Fund (£96m to 74 arts and cultural venues); the Museum Estate and Development Fund (£28m to 28 museums); and the Libraries Improvement Fund (£6.3m to 28 library services).
The Lowry Centre Trust has been awarded £8.5m to upgrade critical infrastructure, including replacing escalators with new lifts, providing step-free access to galleries and opening up more of the building. Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival in East Sussex will receive £468,701 for improvements including modernising the concert hall’s systems.
Theatre Royal Stratford East in London has also secured £1.75m to upgrade its building and essential systems, ensuring the theatre remains safe and accessible. The Black Country Living Museum in Dudley has been awarded £454,159 to safeguard historic buildings, while Newstead Abbey in Nottinghamshire, the former home of Lord Byron, will receive £1.55m for essential roof and drainage repairs.
Among the libraries being funded are Derbyshire Libraries, which will use £440,000 to refurbish three sites to create more welcoming and flexible spaces, including bookable rooms and areas for local activities. Henleaze Library in Bristol will use £279,147 for projects including a new front extension for meetings and events and digital upgrades allowing community access outside regular hours.
“Across the country, people take real pride in where they come from,” Nandy said. “Our local arts, museums and libraries are a big part of that, telling our stories, reflecting who we are, and bringing communities together.
“Arts and culture aren’t a luxury for a privileged few. They are for everyone, everywhere. They bring people together, open doors, and support our shared sense of belonging. That’s the role they can play as we build a stronger future for our country.”
The Arts Council England (Ace) chair, Nicholas Serota, said: “Arts organisations, museums and libraries are the beating heart of our communities. After significant financial pressures in recent years, this vital investment will help organisations to secure futures where they thrive and not just survive.
“We look forward to seeing these cultural spaces flourish as they continue to provide access to excellent art and culture for everyone, everywhere, for many years to come.”
The funding package is primarily designed to repair the UK’s creaking cultural infrastructure, and Nandy previously said it was the biggest reset in the arts for a generation. It represents a huge injection into a sector where Ace funding was cut by 30% in 2010, and follows a previously announced £270m.
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