Tag: Department for Culture and Media

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 17 June 2026.

The Government has announced up to £1 million is to be awarded to The Jewish Museum London, supporting its vital outreach and engagement programmes with schools and communities, and accelerating its search for a new permanent home.

The announcement was made by Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy during a visit to the launch of ‘Two Rooms’ a new interim space for the Jewish Museum London, while it searches for its permanent home. The space is located at JW3 in North London. The visit marked the opening of two new exhibitions celebrating the richness of the museum’s collections and the long history of Jewish families in Britain.

The Jewish Museum London closed its Camden site in 2023 and has since continued its work as a “museum without walls”, delivering exhibitions, learning programmes and community engagement activities across the capital. The funding will support the museum’s ongoing audience development and outreach work, while also helping it develop its plans for a new permanent home in the future.

The news comes as the UK’s first Jewish Cultural Month comes to a close. It also follows the Prime Minister’s recent announcement of a comprehensive package of measures to tackle antisemitism. As part of this work, Arts Council England is engaging proactively with Jewish colleagues, creatives and the wider sector, to inform the actions they will take to challenge antisemitism and anti-Jewish racism. The government is also working with the Arts Council on an independent audit to ensure their processes are robust and effective in addressing complaints about antisemitism.

Culture Secretary, Lisa Nandy said:

Jewish culture, history and heritage are woven into the fabric of this country, and of our national story. The Jewish Museum London and the Manchester Jewish Museum do extraordinary work keeping these stories alive and opening them up to everyone, and they deserve our full support.

Today’s investment is about bringing communities together, helping us to understand one another and sending a clear message that in the face of hatred and division, we will always choose unity.

Nick Viner, Chair of Trustees of Jewish Museum London said:

I would like to thank the Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy. The DCMS support will be invaluable in helping us over the next period as we become more outward facing, expanding our education outreach and increasing our collection loans across the country. It will also help us in our search for a new permanent home, enabling us to create a welcoming space where we can share our stories with the public and create new dialogues. We are very grateful for this strong expression of confidence in our future plans. 

We value the fact that Government realises the importance of the Jewish Museum’s programme at this time of mounting antisemitism and shares our belief that the British Jewish community is an integral part of the story of immigration and cultural identity in Britain, not a world apart.

The Jewish Museum London plays a critical role in preserving and sharing Jewish history, heritage and culture with people from all backgrounds. Home to a nationally significant collection, it cares for objects and stories that help deepen understanding of Jewish life in Britain over centuries. This investment will help protect that collection for future generations, while enabling more people across the UK to engage with and benefit from it.

The funding from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport will be distributed through Arts Council England.

In addition, the government intends to provide Manchester Jewish Museum with a £100,000 investment to support the museum’s vital community work. This funding aims to ease the burden of increased security costs, helping to protect the vibrant events, exhibitions and community activities that make it such a vital part of the city’s cultural life.

The investment will also fund a new schools outreach pilot that brings children from different backgrounds together to explore Jewish heritage, history and culture. DCMS is developing this as a cultural extension to the Department for Education’s Protecting What Matters commitment to fund community-led school linking projects. The aim is to create safe, welcoming spaces where young people can meet, learn together and build connections that last.

Beyond this immediate support, the Government is working with communities and stakeholders to ensure that our Jewish cultural institutions have the long-term support they need to remain secure and sustainable. Jewish cultural institutions play an irreplaceable role in our shared national story, and we want to make sure they can continue to thrive by keeping them open, accessible and enriching for everyone.

The press release issued by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport on 15 June 2026.

£1.6 million investment from DCMS and Art Explora will create the UK’s first permanent mobile museum.

• Renowned British architecture studio Ab Rogers Design appointed to design new mobile museum after international competition
• Artworks from the Government Art Collection will tour the South West and North West of England this summer
• This is the government’s latest step towards ensuring everyone can access arts and culture in the places they call home 

The UK’s first permanent mobile museum will hit the road next year, bringing world class art to the doors of people all across the country. 

A total of £1.6 million, formed of £800,000 from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and £800,000 matched by arts access charity Art Explora, will be used to build a state-of-the-art vehicle and tour three national collections per year, including the Government Art Collection (GAC). Designed by renowned British architect Ab Rogers, this colourful new vehicle will be the first dedicated mobile museum in the country and is part of the Culture Secretary’s plan to ensure arts are available everywhere for everyone. 

From 2027, Art Explora will tour the new mobile museum with three 12-week exhibitions each year. GAC artworks will feature in one exhibition annually, with national and regional partners including Tate, the National Portrait Gallery, Leeds Art Gallery, Birmingham Museums Trust and National Museums Liverpool among other national museums delivering the remaining programme to ensure the widest possible reach across the UK. 

The Government Art Collection was established in 1899 and is a national collection of historic, modern and contemporary British art that is displayed in government buildings in the UK and around the world. The works are seen by hundreds of thousands of visitors annually, promoting British art and contributing to cultural diplomacy. Through an extensive public engagement programme, the GAC brings artworks into the heart of communities and works with UK and international partners to support creative exchange and skill development for young people. 

Ahead of this, a three month pilot tour will take place in the South West and North West with an existing mobile museum. This will bring a curated selection of works from the collection to communities across England this summer, including many who have never had the chance to experience a national gallery up close. 

The exhibition brings together a selection of artworks from the Government Art Collection that explores the sea’s influence on people, places and communities. Through themes of exploration, migration and climate change, the works reflect the many ways the sea has shaped the UK and the wider world.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said:

I am determined that great art isn’t just for the few but for everyone, no matter where they live. The Government Art Collection belongs to the whole country, and this tour is an exciting step towards making that a reality. 

By taking the collection directly into communities, to parks, schools, libraries and public squares, we’re breaking down the barriers that have kept people from experiencing the art that belongs to everyone. This is what ‘Arts Everywhere’ really means in practice, and I’m proud that we’re making it happen.

The establishment of a permanent mobile museum for the UK builds on the success of two previous Art Explora mobile museum tours, in collaboration with Tate, in 2023 and 2024 across the Midlands and the North.

The mobile museum is currently being built in Telford by Torton Bodies Limited, a leading UK firm, with a striking design by renowned British architect Ab Rogers.

Jemima Montagu, Director, Art Explora, said:

There remains a growing gap between those who have access to museums, galleries and arts venues, and those who are left behind. Art Explora is trying to bridge this divide by taking art into the heart of communities and sharing our rich national collections more widely. The new UK Mobile Museum is a stunning piece of design and engineering which will itself be a source of wonder and inspiration wherever it goes. A tardis for the 21st century!

Frédéric Jousset, Founder and Chair of Trustees, Art Explora, said:

Art Explora was founded on the belief that art should be accessible to everyone. We now have a growing Mobile Museum fleet in France, which – over 15 years – has proven the value of bringing art from our national collections directly to communities. UK government support for a dedicated UK truck is an important milestone, as we extend access to great art collections further across Europe.

Ab Rogers, Founder and Director, Ab Rogers Design, said:

It is not every day you get the opportunity to design a mobile museum. We wanted to capture the feeling of the circus arriving in town, creating an explosive burst of energy and anticipation that contains and nurtures extraordinary, curated collections. More mobile, more vibrant and more alive than any other museum, it’s a project that’s very close to my heart.

The mobile museum is one of the core programmes of Art Explora UK, an arts charity founded in 2021 with a mission to tackle the social, economic and geographic barriers that prevent many people from participating in the arts. The mobile museum addresses these barriers head-on, setting up within walking distance of local schools and community centres in areas identified as having high deprivation and low cultural engagement. Over 36–40 weeks of touring annually, it will visit 40 – 45 locations, reaching 25,000 visitors and serving 130–150 schools each year.

This builds on the Culture Secretary’s commitment of up to £1.5 billion to the cultural sector over this parliament, with the Arts Everywhere Fund aiming to save more than 1,000 cherished arts venues, museums, libraries and heritage buildings across England to ensure everyone, everywhere has access to the arts on their doorstep.

Notes to editors

• Art Explora’s mission is to expand access to the arts in the UK through innovative touring, digital and creative programmes. They work with artists, communities and cultural organisations to remove barriers to participation and make the arts accessible to all.  They champion the power of art to connect people, inspire ideas and enrich lives.
• Ab Rogers is a designer specialising in small spaces and experiential design, known for his use of colour, narrative, and high functionality. Rogers’ work focuses on diverse conceptual approaches to interiors, including the use of dynamic materials, sensation, and movement. 
• The Government Art Collection’s exhibition ’Shaped by the Sea’will go on tour on the Art Explora Mobile Museum for 13 weeks, from 15 June to 13 September 2026. 
• The mobile museum tour will start in St Budeaux, Plymouth. It will bring historic, modern and contemporary works by British artists from the GAC to communities across the South West and the North West of England. Artists included in the exhibition: Roger Ackling, Simon Bayliss, Samuel and Nathaniel Buck,Chila Kumari Singh Burman, Mohini Chandra, EVEWRIGHT, Anya Gallaccio, Lubaina Himid, Tess Jaray, Thomas Luny, Will Maclean, Zethu Maseko, Paul Nash, William Pye, Bridget Riley, Ro Robertson, Zineb Sedira, Emma Stibbon and J. M. W. Turner. 
• MuMo (‘Mobile Museum’) was founded by Ingrid Brochard, designed by matali crasset with the support of the Fondation Daniel et Nina Carasso.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 13 June 2026.

Children in every part of the country to get access to enriching activities to beat isolation online and build connections in the real world.

• New benchmarks to give every school and college the tools to offer high-quality enrichment across arts, sport, nature, civic life and life skills
• £132.5 million ‘Every Child Can’ programme will fund activities within school and in communities at weekends and in the holidays, ensuring enrichment is a common entitlement for all — not just those who can afford to pay

Every child, regardless of where they grow up or which school they attend, will benefit from enriching activities that build the skills, confidence and relationships they need for life and work thanks to government action announced today.

Greater access to opportunities in sport, creative activities, nature and the arts will be made available to children both in and out of school in order to halve the participation gap and reclaim childhood for all young people.

The drive to make sure all children are supported to develop new skills and explore their talents includes new benchmarks for schools and colleges published today. These will ensure schools and colleges have the practical tools and guidance to offer a wide range of opportunities across five categories: civic engagement; arts and culture; nature, outdoor and adventure; life and future skills including STEM, sport and physical activities. Leading figures within these categories will soon be announced as ambassadors using their influence and expertise to inspire participation, raise awareness and help drive support for enriching opportunities for young people.

Activities could include music groups, engineering clubs, debating societies, football clubs and much more. These clear benchmarks will work in partnership with civil society and help schools and colleges develop inclusive, engaging enrichment offers that reflect the needs of their pupils and communities.

Ofsted will consider a school’s enrichment offer as part of how it assesses personal development, and parents will be able to see their local school’s offer through new ‘school profiles’ – a one stop shop with key information on a school’s offering.

This complements the government’s wider reforms to bring the national curriculum into the modern day, break down barriers to opportunity and better prepare young people for life and work in today’s world and beyond. 

‘Every Child Can’, funded through the Dormant Assets Scheme, will deliver £132.5 million  for new activities programmes delivered through schools, community programmes, weekend activities and holiday provision. It is structured around the same five categories as the Enrichment Framework, ensuring a consistent approach to building skills and confidence wherever young people engage and removing the postcode lottery that has held children in underserved parts of the country back.

It responds directly to the State of the Nation survey of more than 14,000 young people, which found that despite being the most digitally connected generation, young people today face some of the highest levels of isolation globally. They want safe spaces, trusted adults, better mental health support and greater access to enriching activities. However, access to these opportunities remains unequal, with too many children locked out because of where they live and what school or college they go to.

Education Secretary Bridget Philipson said:

Every child should be able to enjoy sport and the creative arts, not just the lucky few.

Whether it’s performing on stage, playing sport, exploring nature or getting involved in their community, these experiences build confidence, spark ambition and help young people discover what they are capable of.

As the world around our children continues to move fast, investment is about making sure the childhood experiences we truly value can once again be for every young person, wherever they live.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said:

Every child deserves the chance to find their spark through great art, sport, music, dance or drama, because arts and culture belong to all of us – not just a privileged few. A child who loves the arts shouldn’t have to be born into the right postcode to pursue it.

That is why we are rebuilding opportunity in the classroom and in communities and ensuring every young person has something to do, somewhere to go, and someone who cares through our National Youth Strategy: Youth Matters.

For too long we have underinvested in generation with appalling consequences. Every child should have the chance to live a richer, larger life and we will ensure they do.

This package forms part of the government’s commitment to restore lost childhood freedoms – investing in playgrounds, in music hubs, sports partnerships, youth services and youth spaces and support for families through measures including VAT relief on children’s activities this summer. 

With children growing up in an increasingly fast-changing world the package is designed to protect and nurture childhood, ensuring young people are equipped with skills and confidence to achieve and thrive.

Participating in enrichment activities has been associated with higher attainment and a stronger sense of school belonging and wellbeing among children and young people.

According to EPI research, children who attended sport clubs during secondary school were more likely to be in education or employment as young adults, while those who participated in hobbies, arts and music clubs were significantly more likely to progress to higher education.

Today’s announcement builds on the government’s work to ensure young people have access to enriching and cultural activities including:

• More than £500 million for an ambitious 10-year National Youth Strategy – co-designed with young people – to connect half a million more young people with a trusted adult outside their home and equip them with skills to boost their resilience and stay safe online.
• Over £1 billion of investment in school sport over the next three years, including the new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network, which will bring national sporting expertise into every primary and secondary school to tackle inactivity and ensure more young people have access to high-quality PE and sport. Alongside this, an additional £400 million will also be invested in new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities in communities across the country 
• £1.5 billion would be provided to cultural venues across England over the course of this parliament, including £27.5 million for public libraries to help them upgrade their buildings and technology to meet changing needs to better serve their communities.
• Inviting 400 schools in the most deprived areas of England to take part in the £22.5 million Enrichment Expansion Programme, to support them to meet the benchmarks set out in the Enrichment Framework, helping them build a strong offer shaped by their own pupils.
• Revitalising the curriculum to ensure young people are given the chance to experience the arts, while maintaining a strong academic core, removing school performance measures that constrain subject choice, and making sure GCSEs in arts subjects are fit for purpose.

The government is working with The National Lottery Community Fund to develop Every Child Can. Further details on the remaining funding, how each programme will work and how to apply to take part will be published in due course.

The Department for Education will work closely with schools, colleges and sector partners, including the Enrichment for All Coalition, to support implementation of the framework and understand its impact on children and young people. This will help build a shared approach to ensuring high-quality enrichment opportunities can support attendance, engagement, wellbeing and achievement for all pupils.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 12 June 2026.

At a meeting of leading figures from the UK’s hospitality, tourism and night-time economy sectors, ministers heard the industry’s plans to further bolster safety standards across the industry.

UKHospitality and its members have driven forward a proactive programme of further work to promote the safety and security of women and girls, including enhancing guidance on guest safety.

Government and industry agreed to work together to build on existing partnership work at both national and local level to protect guests and teams, as well as share best practice to prevent any opportunities for perpetrators in or outside of venues.

An updated guest safety protocol, developed by UKHospitality, is currently out for consultation with the sector and will set out guidance covering room access procedures, protection of guest privacy and the responsibilities of staff.

The framework will also highlight additional vulnerability training and safety protocols available, in order to complement other safety procedures and support teams on the frontline.

Businesses will be supported by third-sector organisations including Rape Crisis and the Suzy Lamplugh Trust in how to identify and report abuse.

The roundtable, held at 11 Downing Street, was attended by representatives from across accommodation, short-term lets, bars, nightclubs, and charities dedicated to tackling violence against women and girls.

It was chaired by Stephanie Peacock, Minister for Sport, Tourism, Civil Society and Youth, and co-hosted by Kate Dearden, Minister for Employment Rights and Consumer Protection; Catherine Atkinson, Minister for Victims and Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls; and Natalie Fleet, Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls.

Tourism Minister Stephanie Peacock said:

It is vital that everyone, whether a visitor, a guest or a member of staff, feels safe and secure.

I am encouraged by the ambition shown by businesses building on the work the sector is already doing to protect guests and visitors and look forward to seeing these further commitments translate into meaningful, measurable change.

Minister for Safeguarding and Violence against Women and Girls, Natalie Fleet, said:

Women should be able to sleep at night knowing they are safe. 

As Minister for Safeguarding – and as a Mum and Nana – I am excited about the work we are doing to halve violence against women and girls in a decade. We’re working cross-government to deliver our ambitious strategy, but we cannot keep women safe alone, that’s why this meeting was so important. 

It was great to talk to representatives from across the hospitality sector to reflect on how we had got here, and what we can do to avoid this happening again.

I really did leave the meeting feeling optimistic about next steps. Violence against women and girls is a national emergency that every one of us has a responsibility to tackle.

Kate Nicholls, Chair of UKHospitality, said:

The safety of our guests is our utmost priority, and it’s a responsibility that the entire hospitality sector takes incredibly seriously.

Together with our members, we have been enhancing existing guidance on guest safety and we’ve been pleased to share our plans with Ministers.

It’s positive to hear recognition of the sector’s ongoing work in this area and it’s critical we work together to support our teams on the frontline, including the need to expand protections for retail staff to hospitality.

Currently out for consultation with the sector, we look forward to finalising this in the coming weeks and continuing our dialogue with the Government on this issue.

Victims and Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Minister Catherine Atkinson said:

Every woman should be able to check into a hotel, enjoy a night out or dinner, or book a short-term let without fear for her safety.

I am pleased to see major businesses stepping up alongside expert organisations to ensure that staff at every level are equipped to identify abuse and take action.

That kind of joined-up approach is exactly what tackling VAWG demands and this Government will pull every lever at its disposal.

Kate Dearden, Minister for Employment Rights and Consumer protection, said:

We’re showing how government and the hospitality sector can work together so that everyone, including women and girls can enjoy the nighttime economy whilst feeling safe and supported. Working with our tourism and hospitality sector is essential in keeping our towns and cities safe.

Initiatives delivered by the sector include the Ask Angela, Best Bar None, Pubwatch and Purple Flag. 

Businesses also agreed to continue to promote the government’s Enough campaign and to deepen existing co-operation with specialist third sector organisations.

In the year ending March 2025, around 5.1 million people experienced domestic abuse, sexual assault or stalking – approximately 10.6% of adults aged 16 and over. 

The Government is treating tackling VAWG as a top priority, committing £550 million into victim support over the next three years and setting out its ambition to halve VAWG within a decade through its strategy published in December 2025.

The hospitality and tourism sector – which contributed £64.3 billion to the UK economy in 2024 and employs 1.3 million people, over half of whom are women – has a critical role to play in meeting that ambition.

The roundtable marks the beginning of an ongoing dialogue between government and the sector.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 2 June 2026.

DCMS becomes the first central Government department to sign the Power of Youth Charter.

• Charter will give young people the opportunity to shape how Government programmes are designed and measured from the start.
• Charter will commit to young people having opportunities to hold the government to account on its National Youth Strategy  through an Annual Hearing. 

Youth and Civil Society Minister Stephanie Peacock has signed ‘The Power of Youth Charter’, meaning young people will continue their direct role in shaping 

the £500 million investment in National Youth Strategy ‘Youth Matters’, from sitting on recruitment panels to influencing how youth programmes are designed and evaluated.

Developed by the #iWill movement and backed by more than 400 organisations including NHS England and the Premier League, the Power of Youth Charter commits signatories to creating meaningful opportunities for young people to influence decisions and drive positive change in their communities. 

The commitment is the next step in the government’s engagement of young people in its work following a major consultation with over 14,000 young people for the creation of the National Youth Strategy.

As part of its commitments, DCMS will:  

• Provide shadowing opportunities for young people within DCMS policy teams to demystify the civil service and its processes
• Give young people opportunities to hold the Government to account on the National Youth Strategy: Youth Matters through an Annual Hearing
• Involve young people in grant-making or recruitment panels that relate to Youth Matters
• Invite young people to speak at DCMS events so they can share their experiences directly with Ministers, staff and other partners

Minister for Sport, Tourism, Civil Society and Youth Stephanie Peacock said:

The Power of Youth Charter demonstrates our commitment to making sure the voices of young people are heard at every stage of the decisions that shape their lives. 

Since we began developing the National Youth Strategy, young people have told us clearly what they need: real opportunities, spaces to connect with each other and trusted adults, and their voices heard in government. 

We’re taking the steps by investing in grassroots sport, and community spaces but we know they need to have a voice in the room where it happens. This charter gives young people that voice

The signing takes place on Power of Youth Day, held annually during Volunteers’ Week, which this year is themed Common Ground. Minister Peacock was joined at the signing by #iWill co-chair Molly Taylor alongside representatives from the #iWill movement including Volunteering Matters and UK Youth. The event also brought together #iWill ambassadors from across the country to mark Power of Youth Day. 

#iWill co-chair, Molly Taylor said: 

DCMS signing the Power of Youth Charter signals the importance of youth social action in building Common Ground amongst young people across the country. 

We see this in our work supporting young people to build towns and cities of youth social action, where youth power through volunteering and activism changes communities every day.

The Power of Youth charter signing builds on the Government’s landmark National Youth Strategy, Youth Matters, published in December 2025 the first cross-government youth strategy for England in 15 years. 

ENDS

• Power of Youth Day is held annually during Volunteers’ Week (1–7 June).
• The #iWill movement is a cross-sector movement working to make social action part of life for as many young people as possible.
• The #IWill Movement is co-ordinated by Volunteering Matters and UK Youth 
• The National Youth Strategy was published in December 2025 following engagement with more than 14,000 young people.
• Young Futures Hubs are currently open in Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, County Durham, Nottingham, Bristol, Tower Hamlets and Brighton & Hove.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 20 May 2026.

Three heritage funds have opened for Expressions of Interest, including the new £92 million Places of Worship Fund, as well as the second rounds of the Heritage at Risk Capital Fund and Heritage Revival Fund.

• Places of Worship Renewal Fund offers up to £23 million this year; Heritage at Risk Capital Fund up to £15 million; and Heritage Revival Fund up to £10 million 
• Part of the wider £1.5 billion Arts Everywhere Fund, these investments will be targeted at areas of high deprivation, which face the greatest fundraising challenges

Heritage sites are set to benefit from a share of £48 million to fund everything from transformation projects to urgent masonry or stained glass window repairs. 

Three heritage funding schemes have opened for applications, aimed at the 14,000 listed places of worship in England as well as the most at-risk heritage sites in our villages, towns and cities. The schemes will support communities in areas of the greatest need to repair, rejuvenate or transform their heritage buildings to meet the needs of local communities today.

Many places of worship and heritage sites fulfil wide roles in modern communities, from providing services like food banks and warm spaces, to providing affordable housing or workspaces for local entrepreneurs. Returning faith and heritage buildings to prime condition is part of the Government’s mission to increase pride in local communities.

Baroness Twycross announced the launch of these heritage funds during a visit to Grimsby Minster and the Sir Moses Montefiore Synagogue, where she met the volunteers who help care for the sites.

Heritage Minister Baroness Twycross said:

Across our country, thousand-year-old Norman church towers sit at the heart of communities, with brick mills and other former industrial buildings all too often needing significant repair to bring them back to their former glory and create community assets for the future. So many of these heritage sites are cared for by volunteers or community groups and our significant heritage funding schemes are designed to back their ambitions. 

Our listed places of worship and heritage sites make vital contributions to local communities, particularly in areas of the greatest need. This targeted funding is an important step in keeping the roofs water-tight and doors wide open at churches, and for bringing historic buildings back into use for the communities who care for them.

Places of Worship Renewal Fund

Offering up to £23 million this year, the new Places of Worship Renewal Fund will support a range of small to large projects, from urgent structural repairs to physical access improvements and the installation of new facilities to expand community use. A further £69 million will be made available across the course of this parliament.

Listed places of worship across the country have reported falling behind on structural repairs and maintenance, with those in areas of high deprivation facing overwhelming challenges to fundraising for the capital costs of building works. The Places of Worship Renewal Fund targets those areas of the greatest need, helping remove previously insurmountable financial barriers to crucial repairs with upfront capital grants. It is open to listed places of worship serving all faiths.

The new funding scheme brings listed places of worship in line with the funding opportunities that other heritage buildings enjoy, with confirmation of the scheme for the next four years providing much-needed certainty to the church sector. The scheme will be delivered by Historic England, who have well developed relationships across the sector and can draw on their depth of experience to support communities and volunteers with projects of all sizes.

Heritage at Risk Capital Fund

A second round of the Heritage at Risk Capital Fund has opened for Expressions of Interest, backing projects that ensure heritage buildings are fit for the future and continue to tell our national story in communities across the country. The fund prioritises projects that restore heritage sites serving disadvantaged communities and which demonstrate strong local benefits, from job creation to cultural events.

Up to £15 million in funding is available to at-risk heritage sites this year, as part of a total £75 million Heritage at Risk Capital Fund.

Heritage Revival Fund

The Heritage Revival Fund has also opened applications to its second round, with funding doubling to £10 million per year. The fund – worth £45 million in total – helps communities to rescue and repurpose neglected historic buildings and transform them to meet modern needs, focusing on regenerating historic buildings in town centre locations to create new arts and culture venues, workspaces, affordable housing, and more.

Emma Squire and Claudia Kenyatta, Co-CEOs of Historic England said:

Places of worship and historic buildings are at the heart of communities across England. They connect people to their local history and identity, while providing spaces that support wellbeing, pride and social connection. Through the Places of Worship Renewal Fund and the Heritage at Risk Capital Fund, this investment will direct support to the places where it is needed most, helping to repair and secure the future of some of our most valued heritage. By protecting these buildings and supporting their sustainable reuse, we can help communities unlock their potential for generations to come.

Matthew Mckeague, Chief Executive of the Architectural Heritage Fund said:

Over the past year, the Heritage Revival Fund has helped unlock the potential of social enterprises and charities throughout England to take on and transform neglected heritage assets into thriving new spaces. Thanks to our renewed partnership with DCMS and Historic England, we are thrilled to now be able to extend the reach of this work through the expanded programme, which will enable us to support many more exciting community-led schemes across the country over the next few years.

The Bishop of Lynn, Dr Jane Steen, the Church of England’s joint lead bishop for buildings, said:

Our church buildings are national treasures for the common good, both for their spiritual, cultural and historical significance and the vital practical help they provide communities across the country.

The majority of fundraising for the maintenance and repair of church buildings is done locally by thousands of wonderful volunteers. The Places of Worship Renewal Fund has a vital part to play alongside this local fundraising, and other funders who support churches.

We welcome the launch of the Fund and we look forward to working closely with Historic England, in helping encourage eligible churches to make full use of the scheme.

Notes to editors:

• Historic England will distribute the Places of Worship Renewal Fund and the Heritage at Risk Capital Fund. The Architectural Heritage Fund will distribute the Heritage Revival Fund in partnership with Historic England.
• Applicants can submit expressions of interest to the Places of Worship Renewal Fund through Historic England’s website.
• The first round of the Heritage at Risk Capital Fund backed 37 projects across the country, helping transform vulnerable heritage locations into vibrant community spaces. Projects have included:
  • Health Hydro Turkish Baths, Swindon – Support for roof repairs at the rare Victorian-era Turkish baths is delivering a climate-resilient and environmentally enhanced roof structure. The reopened baths will offer affordable and inclusive programmes that respond to community needs, whilst bringing a culturally significant leisure facility back into use.
  • Greenhouse Centre, London – Funding for the final phases of transforming a shuttered 200 year-old space into a new sports hub in central London. The hub’s aim will be to provide coaching and mentoring to young people facing poverty.
  • Salford Lads Club, Manchester – Capital grants helping the essential repairs at the historic community club in Salford. The funding will support roof slate replacements and masonry repairs to ensure the sustainability of this iconic community building, famously linked to The Smiths.
• Images connected to the Places of Worship Renewal Fund and Heritage at Risk Capital Fund can be found on Historic England’s image gallery.
• Applicants can submit expressions of interest to the Heritage at Risk Capital Fund through Historic England’s website.
• The first round of the Heritage Revival Fund backed ten projects with capital grants to directly facilitate their transformative ambitions, as well as fifty-six projects with viability and development grants to formulate plans to reinvent their roles within communities. This includes:
  • Northumberland Hall, Alnwick – Capital funding has supported early works to get started on the restoration of the hall. It will become the new home of the volunteer-led Bailiffgate Museum & Gallery, facilitating new gallery spaces, meeting rooms, reinterpreted exhibitions of their collection, as well as spaces for local artists to exhibit and sell their work.
  • Kingsley Hall, Bristol – This Grade II*-listed former town house is being restored and transformed into a safe space for marginalised young people and the local community by charity 1625 Independent People. The project will create training spaces, a social enterprise café, and nine new affordable homes for young homeless people.
  • St John’s Church, Great Yarmouth – Restoration is underway to convert the Grade-II listed former church into a multi-use cultural and community hub, providing training and engagement, especially for unemployed young people. Once restored it will provide a space for workshops, training, exhibitions, screenings, events, music, rehearsals, artist residencies, learning and engagement.
• Images for the Heritage Revival Fund are supplied by the Architectural Heritage Fund.
• Applicants can submit expressions of interest to the Heritage Revival Fund through the Architectural Heritage Fund’s website.
• Heritage is a devolved matter. The Places of Worship Renewal Fund, Heritage at Risk Capital Fund and Heritage Revival Fund are open to listed places of worship and heritage sites in England. The Devolved Governments receive Barnett consequentials proportionate to overall departmental settlements, with decisions on the allocation of this funding for the Devolved Governments to take.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 17 May 2026.

Initial strategic assessment commissioned into potential bid for Olympic and Paralympic Games in the North of England in the 2040s.

• Assessment will test if hosting could deliver transformational regeneration and growth in the North  
• Towns and cities across England also set to benefit from sports infrastructure accelerator programme, to remove barriers to major sports led regeneration

The government has commissioned its expert arm’s-length body UK Sport to carry out an initial strategic assessment examining whether the UK could host an Olympic and Paralympic Games in the North of England during the 2040s, as part of an ambitious growth drive to use sports to power regeneration of towns and cities. 

Initial work examining whether the UK could host the Games for the first time since London 2012 will assess key factors such as potential cost, socioeconomic benefit and any bid’s chance of success.
The Government firmly sees major sporting events and sporting facilities as playing a key role in driving economic growth, regeneration, improving pride in place, and bolstering the UK’s global appeal. 

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said:

London 2012 showed what the Olympics can do for our country. It inspired a generation through sport, attracted huge investment and showed the best of Britain to the world.

But while the North of England has driven so much sporting excellence, no matter the talent we produce, the sporting moments we create, and the world-class events we attract – for too long we have been told the Olympics is simply too big and too important to be hosted in the North.

Not any more. It’s time the Olympics came North and we showed what we can offer to the world. I couldn’t be more pleased to announce that we’re starting the firing gun on a long overdue vote of confidence in the North.

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, said:

Britain’s sporting prowess is recognised and respected around the world. It’s something we are determined to capitalise on to breathe life into our communities and build a stronger and more secure economy.

That’s why we’re throwing our full support behind bringing the Games back home which will boost our Northern Growth Corridor. It’s also why we’re backing stadium regeneration plans, like at Elland Road, to deliver new homes, business opportunities and public spaces in Leeds and beyond.

The Government has also announced a wave of new work to use sport as a catalyst for local regeneration and economic growth. This includes: 

• A Stadium Regeneration Accelerator:In a further growth boost for towns and cities across England, a new cross-government programme will work with sporting bodies on priority sports infrastructure development projects  – such as stadiums – that can help deliver local regeneration and commercial growth. Funding will not be used for the regeneration of these stadiums but the government will work with sports clubs and leagues to unlock opportunities for large-scale housing delivery, jobs, apprenticeships, transport improvement and community sports facilities. DCMS will work alongside the Office for Investment (OfI) HM Treasury and Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government with sports bodies such as the Premier League, the English Football League and the WSL Football. Together they will identify, and unblock, barriers to development at both a national and local level – and will include projects across the sports sector. The OfI will act as the front door for potential investors to be involved in the programme. Planned projects across England include proposals in Greater Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle, Leeds, Liverpool and London that have the potential to regenerate their surrounding areas. The government will also look at how we can learn lessons and share best practice with counterparts from Europe and further afield.
• A new Sporting Events Bill:Introduced to Parliament on Thursday, the new Bill will make it easier to bid for, secure and deliver major sporting events in future, including UEFA EURO 2028. It will also make the unauthorised resale of tickets for designated major events a criminal offence, ensuring more tickets reach real fans at face value rather than being snapped up by touts and resold.
• UK Government Strategy for Major Events:The government will set out its plans to support and provide leadership to the nation’s wider major events sector, by delivering a cross-sector strategy within the coming year. The strategy will cover major events in all sectors – cultural, sporting and business – and will ensure that major events continue to drive economic growth, enhance the UK’s soft power across the globe, and strengthen social cohesion in our towns and cities. This will build on the UK’s outstanding track record — from the 80th commemorations of VE day and the billions of pounds generated every year from hosting business events, to the record-breaking Women’s Rugby World Cup last year. 
• A Ministerial Adviser on Soft Power and Major Events:The government has also appointed Lord McConnell as a Ministerial Adviser on Soft Power and Major Events. Lord McConnell, who was central to bringing the Commonwealth Games to Glasgow in 2014, will support the government’s ambition to cement the UK’s position as the go-to destination for the world’s most prestigious sporting and cultural events, drawing on his experience in international affairs, public policy and supporting the delivery of major events.

The UK has a phenomenal pipeline of major sporting events to look forward to. This summer alone brings the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham and the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. In 2027, the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes Grands Départs will be the most accessible major sporting event ever held in Great Britain. UEFA EURO 2028 is forecast to generate £3.2 billion in socioeconomic benefits – creating jobs, driving regional growth, and drawing a surge of international visitors to communities the length and breadth of the country.  

The Government is already backing bids to host the World Athletics and Para-Athletics Championships in 2029, as well as the 2035 FIFA Women’s World Cup, as part of its commitment to driving a decade of change in women’s sport. 

Alongside more than £500 million invested into the delivery of major sporting events, the Government is making a serious and sustained commitment to grassroots sport. At least £400 million is being invested in community facilities across the country, ensuring that the legacy of every major event is felt far and wide. 

Additional quotes:

Chair of The Great North, North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said:

From our great cities and towns to our coastlines and countryside, the North has the venues, the passion and the sporting pride to deliver a world-class Olympic and Paralympic Games that showcases the very best of Great Britain to the world.

A Great North Olympics would be a global showcase, leaving a legacy of prosperity, unity and renewal. It’s an opportunity not to be missed, delivering transformational investment in transport, regeneration and public spaces across the North of England. This could become the most people-powered Games ever hosted: inspiring millions of people into sport, volunteering and community action.

Richard Masters, Premier League Chief Executive said: 

Football clubs across the country are important institutions in their communities. The stadium investment pipeline across the Premier League now amounts to an estimated £5 billion, with a number of clubs actively considering significant additional projects. New and redeveloped stadiums will deliver over 100,000 extra seats for supporters, as well as thousands of new jobs. These private investments can deliver substantial public benefits, and accelerating delivery can help to boost economic growth. 

Developing partnerships to create transport and community infrastructure is often vital to unlocking redevelopment. That will help to strengthen the pipeline of viable projects and enable faster delivery, benefiting football fans as well as local residents and businesses. We welcome this programme and look forward to working with our clubs, the government, mayors and local authorities to help make it a success.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 14 May 2026.

The Secretary of State has reappointed Michael Salter-Church as Chair of the Horniman Museum and Gardens from 14 August 2026 to 13 August 2030.

Michael Salter-Church

Michael has been Chair of the Horniman Museum and Gardens since 2021. He is also a Trustee and Council member of the National Trust.

His professional background is in corporate affairs, including media, public policy, sustainability and campaigning. Most recently he worked on the deployment of gigabit broadband with Openreach, where he also led work on digital inclusion and was sponsor of their Pride employee network. Roles prior to this include Sainsbury’s and 10 Downing Street. He is also a member of the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership.

He is a campaigner for equality and inclusion which has included: championing more diversity in governance roles; founding and for nine-years co-chairing the LGBTQ+ Pride event in London; serving as the then Prime Minister’s principal advisor on LGBTQ+ issues and equal marriage 2010-2015; and co-chairing the industry working group to improve diversity in the telecoms sector. He also serves on Action for Children’s organising committee for their largest annual fundraising event.

He accepted The Queen’s Award for Voluntary service on behalf of the volunteers who ran Pride in London, and was awarded an MBE for public service in 2015.

He lives with his husband and two partially sighted cats near the Horniman Museum and Gardens.

Remuneration and Governance Code

The Chair of the Horniman Museum is not remunerated. 

These appointments have been made in accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments. The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. 

Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election. 

Michael Salter-Church has declared no such political activity. 

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 14 May 2026.

The Prime Minister has extended the term of Lieutenant-General Andrew Figgures CB CBE FREng for 9 months, from 1 February 2026 to 31 October 2026.

Lieutenant-General Andrew Figgures CB CBE FREng

Lieutenant General Andrew Figgures was commissioned from Sandhurst into the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. He has served in Germany and the United Kingdom and on operations in Northern Ireland, the Former Republic of Yugoslavia and Iraq in 2003-2004 where he was Senior British Military Representative and deputy to the US Commander. 

He has been on the directing staff at the Royal Military College of Science responsible for the instruction of Surveillance, Target Acquisition, Aerial Vehicles’ Guided Weapons and Emerging Technology. In 2004 he became Technical Director of the Defence Procurement Agency and Defence Logistic Organisation, Master-General of the Ordnance and a member of the Army Board. On promotion to Lieutenant General in 2006 he became Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff responsible for the Defence Equipment Plan for all three services. 

In 2010 on leaving the Army, he was appointed to the position of Chief Executive of the British Transport Police Authority with the responsibility for policing the railways in Great Britain until 2016.

Remuneration and Governance Code

Trustees of the Imperial War Museum are not remunerated. 

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 11 May 2026.

The Secretary of State has reappointed Richard Collier-Keywood, Dame Helen Stephenson, and Paul Sweeney, and extended the terms of John Mothersole and Kate Still.

Richard Collier-Keywood 

Richard Collier-Keywood has been reappointed as a Member for a term of 18 months, commencing on 1 July 2026 to 31 December 2027. 

Richard Collier-Keywood holds a variety of prominent roles, primarily as a Chair. He chairs the School for Social Entrepreneurs, Fair4All Finance (the UK financial inclusion organisation funded by dormant assets), New Forest Care (a provider of bespoke care and education to children with complex needs), and the Welsh Rugby Union.

Richard holds several other board positions: Board member and Chair of the finance committee for the Women of the World Foundation; Board member and Chair of the finance committee for St George’s House (Windsor Castle); and Non-executive director on the international Board for Eversheds Sutherland LLP.

Previously Richard was a Global Vice-Chairman of PwC from November 2011 to February 2017 and served as Managing Partner of PwC UK from 2008 to 2011. Richard is a barrister and a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales.

Dame Helen Stephenson

Dame Helen Stephenson has been reappointed as a Member for a term of 18 months, commencing on 1 July 2026 to 31 December 2027.

Her career includes serving as the former Chief Executive and Board Member of the Charity Commission for England and Wales. Before this, she was the Director of Early Years and Child Care at the Department for Education. Earlier in her career, she worked in the Cabinet Office as Director of the Office for Civil Society and Government Innovation Group.

Prior to joining the Civil Service, Helen was Head of Strategic Policy and Partnerships at the Big Lottery Fund. Her experience also spans the statutory and voluntary sectors as a researcher and consultant, and she served as a development manager for a major national charity. She holds a PhD from Bristol University.

Helen is on the Board of the Independent Football Regulator and is a Trustee of The King’s Foundation. Furthermore, she is a Board member of the ECB Regulatory Board and serves on the People and Governance Committee at the Royal Academy of Dance.

Helen’s contributions have been recognised with a CBE in 2014 and a DBE in the 2024 Birthday Honours for her services to charity and regulation.

Paul Sweeney

Paul Sweeney has been reappointed as a Member and Northern Ireland Chair for a second term of four years, commencing on 18 August 2026 to 17 August 2030. Paul has a wealth of experience working in the voluntary, community and public sectors in Northern Ireland.

From 1987 to 1994, he was the Director of the Northern Ireland Voluntary Trust, which supported community-based self-help initiatives.

He joined the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) in 1994, initially on secondment, as an adviser on community development and reconciliation. Throughout his subsequent career in the NICS he held a number of senior positions including Deputy Secretary in the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister, Permanent Secretary in the Department for Culture, Arts and Leisure and Permanent Secretary in the Department of Education.

Since retiring from the NICS in 2017, Paul has undertaken a trustee role in a number of not-for-profit organisations involved in regeneration, culture and young people. 

John Mothersole 

John Mothersole’s second term as a Member and England Committee Chair has been extended by 2 years from 14 May 2026 to 13 May 2028. 

John’s extensive career includes senior local government roles in UK cities, culminating in 11 years as Chief Executive of Sheffield City Council until December 2019. Since then, he has focused on non-executive and advisory roles.

His current appointments include Chair of The Sheffield College, a trustee position with a community care charity, and advisory work with companies specialising in regeneration and environment. He was also an assessor for the Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry, concluding this role with the final report’s publication in September 2024.

John has been a key figure in policy development for UK cities, actively participating in the Core Cities network, the Northern Powerhouse initiative, and working with the Government to secure city and city region devolution deals and participate in trade missions.

More recently, John has been appointed as Trustee of the Historic Royal Palaces. He also chairs the Nature Towns and Cities Panel, a joint initiative by The National Trust, Natural England, and The Heritage Lottery Fund.

His early career was rooted in the arts, primarily in London and the North-East. A key achievement from this period was the reopening of the Roundhouse in London, which paved the way for its subsequent redevelopment.

Kate Still

Kate Still’s second term as a Member and Scotland Committee Chair has been extended by 2 years from 14 May 2026 to 13 May 2028. 

Kate brings over 30 years of relevant experience, having worked with and for communities across various fields, including grant-making, education, apprenticeships, employability, community enterprise, and regeneration. She is deeply committed to addressing issues of poverty, equality, diversity, and social justice.

Her extensive career spans senior roles in the public, private, and charity sectors. In July 2024, she was appointed by the Scottish Government to lead the independent review of Community Learning and Development, which resulted in the report “Learning For All. For Life.”

Remuneration and Governance Code

Board Members of The National Lottery Community Fund are remunerated at £7,848 per annum.

The Chairs of the England and Scotland Committee of The National Lottery Community Fund are both remunerated at £24,000.

The Chair of the Northern Ireland Committee of The National Lottery Community Fund is remunerated at £29,232.

These appointments have been made in accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments. The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. 

Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election. 

Richard Collier-Keywood, Dame Helen Stephenson, Paul Sweeney, Kate Still and Paul Sweeney have declared no political activity.