Today, the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) has announced over £270 million of funding for the culture and heritage sectors. At the same time, the DCMS has also shared more details on the Independent Review of the Arts Council.
Arts Council England are proud to be administering around £139 million of the investment shared today, benefitting museums, libraries and arts organisations, and the communities they serve, in every corner of the country.
They are also pleased to share today that 29 local museums across England will benefit from £24.8 million of investment from the fourth round of the Museum Estate and Development Fund.
Welcoming today’s news, Chief Executive, Darren Henley said: “Today’s a good news day for arts organisations, museums and libraries. We know how much cultural places and spaces are valued in towns and cities across the land. For years to come, this new investment will help more people in more places to flourish by finding joy and connection with high quality culture close to home.”
Get the headlines
New investment announced today by Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy, includes the following programmes the Arts Council will administer in 2025/26:
- A new £85 million Creative Foundations Fund to support urgent capital works to keep venues across the country up and running;
- A new £20 million Museum Renewal Fund to help keep cherished civic museums open and engaging, protect opening hours and jobs, continue serving communities, and telling our national story at a local level;
- Confirmation that DCMS will be providing £3.2 million in funding for four cultural education programmes for the next financial year to preserve increased access to arts for children and young people through the Museums and Schools Programme, the Heritage Schools Programme, the Art & Design National Saturday Club and the BFI Film Academy (of which, the Arts Council will administer the Museums and Schools Programme, and Saturday Clubs).
Arts Council England also pleased to confirm that the following funds will return for new rounds of investment in the next year:
- A fifth round of the Museum Estate and Development Fund worth £25 million, continuing support for museums to undertake vital infrastructure projects, and tackle urgent maintenance backlogs;
- A fourth round of the Libraries Improvement Fund worth £5.5 million, which will enable public library services across England to upgrade buildings and technology to better respond to changing user needs.
Independent Review of the Arts Council
Today the DCMS have also published details of the reviewing panel supporting Baroness Margaret Hodge in the Independent Review of the Arts Council.
A survey has also been published, where anyone can respond with their views and thoughts.
On the review, Darren Henley said: “Baroness Hodge’s review gives all of us at the Arts Council the chance to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to serve audiences right across England - and that we’re nurturing an environment where artists, arts organisations, museums and libraries can create their best work for those audiences. We’re looking forward to working with Baroness Hodge and her advisory panel to make sure that happens for everyone everywhere every day”.
Find out more about the review, and have your say here
Get updates
Over the coming weeks there will be more details published about the funds Arts Council England will administer, including applicant eligibility and timelines. All of these funding programmes will be operating across the 2025/26 financial year.
If you want to know more news when we have it, please sign up for our newsletter for updates, so you can be the first to know.