Question

To ask His Majesty's Government what investment they are making in the UK’s cultural infrastructure.

The Government is investing in cultural infrastructure across the country through a number of funding programmes. The second round of the Levelling Up Fund, announced in January 2023, saw £546 million of investment into 31 culture and heritage projects across the country.

The Government funds Arts Council England, which awarded £22.7 million from its Capital Investment Programme in 2022/23, providing 66 cultural organisations grants of between £100,000 and £750,000. This programme aims to strengthen cultural infrastructure by supporting organisations to adapt buildings and equipment so they can operate safely post-pandemic, to improve access, to seize on technological opportunities, and to reduce their environmental impact.

Alongside this, the Government’s Cultural Development Fund — a manifesto commitment — has provided £44 million of capital investment in transformative, place-based creative and cultural initiatives in rounds 1 and 2. These rounds provided support to 12 projects across the country. The successful recipients of the £32.4 million third round of the Fund will be announced in Spring 2023. Round 1 of the Libraries Improvement Fund is also investing £5 million in 25 library services to upgrade their buildings and technology.

The Government has also invested £95 million in Historic England’s High Street Heritage Action Zones scheme, which targets 67 high streets across England to encourage economic growth and increase pride in place. Additionally, the £82 million Museum Estate and Development Fund, an open-access capital fund for non-national accredited museums in England, provides funding to undertake vital infrastructure and urgent maintenance backlogs. In round one of the project in 2022, a total of £18.8 million was awarded to 31 museums. Additionally, in 2022-24, the £4 million DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund will continue to invest in the display and accessibility of collections across England, taking to £52 million the amount invested since the programme was created in 2002.