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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to encourage smaller communities and towns to participate in Festival UK* 2022.

We have recently announced the 10 teams that will deliver world class creative projects in urban, rural and coastal communities across the UK in 2022. In partnership with the Festival Company, these teams are now starting pre-production to develop the content of their projects and determine the final locations.

Together, the 10 projects are designed to reach populations throughout the UK. As well as public events there will be learning and participation programmes aimed at engaging local communities and encouraging them, and the rest of the country, to take part. The Festival programme will be announced later this year.