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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support music and arts programmes in (a) Eastbourne and (b) England.

For 2023 - 2026 our arms-length-body Arts Council England is investing around £444 million per annum into their National Portfolio Organisations across England. This includes nearly £550k of annual funding to the Towner Gallery in Eastbourne, which attracts over 175,000 visitors a year, and engages with over 55,000 participants a year through its learning and outreach programme.

Arts Council England’s open funding programme, National Lottery Project Grants provides over £100 million of support annually to individuals and organisations, and since 2023 has invested over £600k into arts projects across Eastbourne.

The government wants to ensure everyone has access to high quality arts and culture in the places they call home, and the new Creative Foundations Fund, announced in February, will invest £85 million to support arts and cultural organisations across England to resolve urgent issues with their estates. This will ensure their buildings and infrastructure will provide improved user experience for visitors and ensure they can be enjoyed by visitors for many more years to come. Guidance for the fund was published at the end of May and Arts Council England will be accepting Expressions of Interest until 25 July. With grants available from £100,000 and up to £10 million, this fund is a significant opportunity for eligible organisations across the country, including those in Eastbourne, to address their capital needs.