Confirmation of £1.5bn five-year culture funding welcomed

The government has confirmed that an estimated £1.5 billion will be invested in capital projects across the arts, cultural and heritage sectors over the course of the current UK parliament.

The settlement builds on the £270 million worth of investment through the Arts Everywhere Fund announced in February 2025, with additional funding pledged to take total investment to £1.5 billion between 2025 and 2030. It has been welcomed by a variety of figures from the cultural industries including leaders of orchestras, theatres and independent producers.

The £1.5 billion of funding is made up of:

• £760 million for museums:
  • £600 million infrastructure funding to support national museums and cultural organisations sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). 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.
  • £160 million will be invested in 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 including:
  • £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.
  • A new £92 million fund called the Places of Worship Renewal Fund will replace the £23 million Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme. The fund will give places of worship access to the same level of financial support from the government as historic houses, monuments and other heritage sites.
• £27.5 million for the 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 per cent uplift next year for these organisations that will help deliver arts and culture activity in every local authority.

The government says 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.

Full details of individual schemes, including specific requirements and application guidance will be published in due course.

The cultural sector currently supports 700,000 jobs across the country.

More on the funding package.

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