Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to increase funding for arts and culture in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire.

After 14 years of indifference and cultural vandalism, this government is committed to making sure that arts and cultural activities will no longer be the preserve of a privileged few. We are working with Arts Council England and others to understand what the challenges and opportunities are for our sectors. As part of the Government’s “Creating Growth” plan, DCMS is also undertaking a review documenting current and past funding for the arts, culture, and heritage sectors.

Arts Council England’s open funding programme, National Lottery Project Grants, is accessible to organisations and individuals across the country, including those in the South Holland and the Deepings constituency, and across Lincolnshire. This programme provides over £100 million of support annually, and is open to new and emerging artists.