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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the long-term financial sustainability of arts centres.

The Government is working closely with the sector to understand the needs of arts centres, which are integral to communities up and down the country. Through sector engagement, as well as the recent Arup and Future Arts Centres report, Evaluating Capital Investment Needs for Arts Centres in the UK, we are aware that arts centres are facing challenges with their estates.

The Creative Foundations Fund (CFF) will support arts and cultural organisations across England to resolve urgent issues with their estates. An important part of this government’s growth mission, this fund aims to strengthen the long-term economic viability of the creative and cultural industries. The fund will support organisations to continue delivering creative or cultural activity, support growth and increase opportunities to develop creative skills and engage in high-quality creative work.

Arts centres that meet other eligibility criteria will be eligible to apply for the fund. This fund will offer vital support to prevent the closure of operating cultural spaces and the potential irrevocable loss to local communities and economies. However, inspections on building conditions are excluded from the CFF. Full eligibility details in the guidance can be found on ACE’s website.