Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the geographical distribution of Arts Council England funding to the arts and dance sector.

Arts Council England (ACE) operates at arm's length from the government, and funding decisions are made independently by ACE on merit based published criteria. However, DCMS is committed to delivering high quality arts and cultural activity in every region of the country.

The government is working with ACE on its plans for the next National Portfolio Investment Programme. To help ensure location does not disadvantage arts organisations’ access to the Portfolio, ACE will simplify the application process to make it easier to apply for funding.

In the information published in June regarding the 2028-2033 National Portfolio Investment Programme, the Arts Council confirmed that one of its objectives is to increase investment and delivery in places with historically lower investment, engagement or both. Culture Priority Places will inform decision-making in the next Portfolio, to ensure the benefits of arts and culture can be felt where need is greatest. The Arts Council will also bring in the views of local citizens into this process, to ensure that communities across England have more input into the cultural offer in their area.

According to ACE's Area Report Cornwall received £9.43 per head in 25/26, compared to £12.75 in the South West and £14.75 in England. Total ACE funding for Cornwall across the 2023–26 investment period stands at £14,522,985. This covers a range of organisations, including NPO IntoBodmin, a community and arts organisation which received £411,992 in funding for 2023–26. Total funding for dance organisations in Cornwall for 2023–26 was £277,396.

Further, as part of the £1.5 billion Arts Everywhere Fund, earlier this year, Newlyn Art Gallery & The Exchange in Cornwall was awarded £726,599 through the first round of Creative Foundations Fund, which allocated £14.4 million to eight arts and cultural venues across the South West to address urgent infrastructure needs. The second round of the Creative Foundations Fund is currently in progress.