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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, for what reason (a) institutions and (b) individuals in the arts sector will be required to demonstrate how they have contributed to wider economic growth in order to access the Government's support package for the arts; and what steps he is taking to ensure that the criteria for eligibility will not exclude smaller provincial venues and artists from being eligible for those funds.

On 5 July, the Government announced a major £1.57 billion support package for key cultural organisations to help them through the coronavirus pandemic. In order to receive support, organisations will need to demonstrate that they are at risk in this financial year and have done all they can to exhaust other options. Guidance published by Arts Council England, the British Film Institute, Historic England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund sets out further details on eligibility requirements for the package.

While we would like this investment to go as far as it can in spreading support across the country, funding will not be available for every organisation. As such, the delivery bodies will be prioritising institutions of national and international significance and those that are crucial to levelling up places and communities and economic growth across the country. As part of that, we are ensuring that funding is distributed fairly, and that smaller organisations and cultural venues that are at the centre of their communities are protected.