Tag: Department for Culture and Media

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.

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

130 cultural venues, museums and libraries are set to receive a share of almost £130 million to protect them for present and future generations.

• Investment forms part of the Arts Everywhere Fund, a bumper £1.5 billion package to support cultural infrastructure projects
• Organisations such as The Lowry, Stratford East, The Black Country Living Museum and Derbyshire Libraries are amongst 130 receiving a needed cash boost

130 cultural venues, museums and libraries are set to benefit from a £127.8 million funding boost, helping to ensure that everyone can access arts and culture in the places they call home.

Venues ranging from The Lowry Centre in Salford, The Hexagon in Reading and the Royal Shakespeare Company in Warwickshire will receive a much needed cash boost to help open up access to facilities, complete much needed building projects and upgrade technology on site.

The 130 organisations receiving funding today mark the first projects receiving cash from the government’s Arts Everywhere Fund. As the cost of living continues to affect families across Britain, funding for these venues will help provide welcoming, affordable spaces for communities to visit, come together and celebrate what makes their local area special.

Earlier this year, the Culture Secretary committed 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.

Today’s £127.8 million which is administered and delivered by Arts Council England on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport is made up of three funds:

• The Creative Foundations Fund (CFF) has allocated £96 million to 74 arts and cultural venues to help theatres, performing arts venues, galleries and grassroots music venues address urgent infrastructure needs. In this round, organisations such as The Lowry Centre Trust in Salford, which has been awarded £8.5 million to upgrade critical infrastructure. This funding will replace escalators with new lifts, providing step-free access to galleries and opening up more of the building. Visitors will benefit from improved access to galleries, theatres, family and conference spaces, along with enhanced café and retail facilities, creating a more inclusive and welcoming experience. Theatre Royal Stratford East in London has also secured £1,750,000 funding to upgrade its building and essential systems, ensuring the theatre remains safe, accessible and welcoming for local people.
• The Museum Estate and Development Fund (MEND) has allocated a share of £25.5 million to support 28 museums to undertake vital infrastructure works, and improve the visitor experience. In this round, organisations such as Black Country Living Museum in Dudley have been awarded £454,159 to safeguard key historic buildings, ensuring they remain safe and open for visitors while preserving the region’s unique heritage. In total the fund has supported 150 museums over the past four years.
• The Libraries Improvement Fund (LIF) has allocated a share of £6.3 million to 28 library services to help upgrade buildings and technology to better meet the needs of the community. The fund has already supported 95 projects across England over five years and this round will support organisations such as Derbyshire Libraries which will use £440,000 to refurbish three sites to create more welcoming, flexible spaces for community use, including bookable rooms and areas for local activities. It is hoped that these improvements will encourage more visits from children and families, support community engagement and ensure the libraries remain sustainable and well-used for years to come.

Culture Secretary, Lisa Nandy said:

Across the country, people take real pride in where they come from. Our local arts, museums and libraries are a big part of that, telling our stories, reflecting who we are, and bringing communities together.

That’s why our Arts Everywhere Fund matters. We’re backing the places people care about most, with support for 130 venues across the country announced today.

Arts and culture aren’t a luxury for a privileged few. They are for everyone, everywhere. They bring people together, open doors, and support our shared sense of belonging. That’s the role they can play as we build a stronger future for our country.

Arts Council England Chair Sir Nicholas Serota said:

Arts organisations, museums and libraries are the beating heart of our communities.

After significant financial pressures in recent years, this vital investment will help organisations to secure futures where they thrive and not just survive.

We look forward to seeing these cultural spaces flourish as they continue to provide access to excellent art and culture for everyone, everywhere, for many years to come.

Other examples of funded projects include:

Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival (CFF) in East Sussex will receive £468,701 in funding which  will modernise the concert hall’s systems, improving accessibility, sustainability, and improve the experience for the audience and artists. This safeguards a vital cultural hub, supporting year-round events, opportunities for young people and community engagement across Brighton & Hove and Sussex. Newstead Abbey (MEND), in Nottinghamshire, is an internationally significant former home of the poet Lord Byron, will receive £1,550,747 for essential roof and drainage repairs. This investment will protect the historic building and its nationally important collections from persistent leaks, ensuring the site remains open for future generations to enjoy. Henleaze Library (LIF) in Bristol is awarded £279,147 to transform it into a more inclusive and flexible community space. The project includes a new front extension for meetings and events, accessible facilities, and digital upgrades allowing community access outside regular hours.

The next rounds of these funds will open for applications in the coming months. Further details on the Museum Estate and Development Fund, and the new Museum Transformation Programme, along with the Libraries Improvement Fund will be announced in due course.

ENDS

Creative Foundations Fund full list of recipients:

London

• Southbank Centre – £10,000,000
• Harrow Arts Centre – £630,014
• Certain Blacks – £150,000
• Autograph ABP – £499,950
• The Lyric Theatre Hammersmith Limited – £534,227
• Theatre Royal Stratford East – £1,750,000
• St Margaret’s House – £700,000
• Create London, The White House, Dagenham – £500,000
• Shoreditch Town Hall – £899,847
• Kiln Theatre – £296,500
• London Contemporary Dance (The Place) Limited – £660,000
• Electric Ballroom CIC – £497,000
• Rich Mix Cultural Foundation – £2,205,000
• Royal Ballet and Opera – £5,000,000
• VocalEyes – £102,254
• English National Opera – £1,601,293

North East

• Northern Stage (Theatrical Productions) Ltd – £192,600
• Queen’s Hall Arts – £393,068
• THIRTY-SIX LIME STREET LIMITED – £847,932
• Baltic Flour Mills Visual Arts Trust – £3,649,800
• Gateway Studio CIO, New Trinity – £400,000
• Middlesbrough Council Cultural Services – £2,595,000
• The Cluny Events (North East) CIC – £334,000

North West

• Theatre Porto – £139,000
• esea contemporary – £359,100
• The Lowry Centre Trust – £8,500,000
• Liverpool & Merseyside Theatres Trust Ltd – £999,999
• Blackburn with Darwen BC – £990,000
• Skylight Circus Arts – £125,990
• Octopus Collective Ltd, Barrow – £396,000

East of England

• New Wolsey Theatre Company Ltd – £529,340
• Palace Theatre Watford Limited – £999,896
• Creative Arts East – £144,226
• Stagetext – £183,356
• Wysing Arts Centre – £195,000
• Firstsite Ltd – £995,000
• Britten Pears Arts – £1,954,825

South East

• Worthing Borough Council – £371,278
• Brighton Dome & Festival Limited – £468,701
• Watermill Theatre – £300,000
• The Mill Arts Centre – £135,000
• Kent County Council – £865,000
• Portsmouth New Theatre Royal – £450,000
• The Hexagon, Reading – £2,068,000
• Turner Sims, Southampton – £350,000
• Play to the Crowd, Theatre Royal Winchester – £398,000

South West

• TwoCan Inclusive Theatre Company – £283,169
• Taunton Theatre Association Ltd – £527,083
• Wiltshire Creative – £3,000,000
• Friends of the Lyric CIC – £170,000
• Newlyn Art Gallery Ltd – £726,599
• Theatre Royal (Plymouth) Ltd – £8,356,000
• Music Venue Properties – £999,000
• Trinity Community Arts – £390,000

East Midlands

• University of Leicester, Attenborough Arts Centre – £899,999
• Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage, Leicester – £119,725
• Northampton Theatres Trust – £538,000
• Nottingham Playhouse – £285,574
• North Kesteven District Council – £107,777

West Midlands

• Stoke on Trent & North Staffordshire Theatre Trust – £295,308
• Royal Shakespeare Company – £7,298,800
• Paines Plough – £750,000
• Birmingham Royal Ballet – £949,953
• Birmingham Repertory Theatre – £3,047,229
• Claybody Theatre – £150,000
• Wolverhampton Arts Centre – £4,999,999

Yorkshire and the Humber

• Hull Truck Theatre – £318,911
• Barnsley Civic Enterprise Ltd Civic – £805,165
• Kirklees Theatre Trust – £630,000
• Yorkshire Dance Centre Trust – £750,000
• Mind the Gap Studio – £100,000
• Northern Ballet Limited – £522,500
• Rotherham Theatres – £200,000
• Scarborough Theatre Trust Ltd – £2,700,000

Museum Estate and Development Fund full list of recipients:

London

• London Transport Museum – £999,999
• Museum of the Order of St John – £413,015

North East

• Hartlepool Borough Council – £2,458,641
• Chesters Roman Fort – £476,566

North West

• Grundy Art Gallery – £357,000
• People’s History Museum – £2,491,670
• Port Sunlight Village Trust – £499,999
• Lancaster City Museum – £94,056
• Bramall Hall, Stockport Museums – £1,000,000
• Greater Manchester Transport Society – £244,000
• The Armitt Museum and Library – £238,098

East of England

• Natural History Museum, Colchester – £499,477
• Sheringham Museum – £456,170

South East

• Walmer Castle – £3,080,000
• The Brickworks Museum – £280,000
• Whitchurch Silk Mill – £210,045
• Brading Roman Villa – £80,707

South West

• Bristol Museums – £3,567,713

East Midlands

• Boston Guildhall – £401,112
• National Tramway Museum – £492,880
• Creswell Crags – £184,705
• Newstead Abbey, Nottingham – £1,550,747

West Midlands

• Black Country Living Museum – £454,159
• Compton Verney – £794,750

Yorkshire and the Humber

• Burton Constable Hall – £242,000
• Oakwell Hall, Kirklees – £1,638,724
• Yorkshire Museum – £2,000,000
• Ryedale Folk Museum – £350,676

Libraries Improvement Fund full list of recipients:

London

• London Borough Havering – £499,000
• London Borough of Barking and Dagenham – £300,000
• London Borough of Ealing Libraries – £50,000
• RBG – Sport, Leisure and Library Services, Greenwich Libraries – £121,755
• Harrow Libraries – £110,000
• Camden Council – £149,655

East of England

• East Ham Co-Working and Study Space – £350,000
• Suffolk County Council – £500,000
• Cambridgeshire Community and Cultural Services – £150,000

North East

• Hartlepool Borough Council – £94,400
• Northumberland Libraries – £491,022
• Gateshead Council – Library Service – £71,794

North West

• Manchester City Council – £52,942
• St Helens Council Library Service – £290,000
• Rochdale Borough Council – £140,000

South East

• Surrey Libraries – £50,000

South West

• South Gloucestershire Council (Cultural Services) –  £167,639
• Devon County Council – £200,000
• Bristol City Council – £279,147

East Midlands

• Derbyshire County Council – £440,000

West Midlands

• Walsall Council – £170,000
• City of Wolverhampton Council –  £270,000
• Shropshire Libraries –  £299,000
• Telford & Wrekin – £235,971

Yorkshire and the Humber

• Sheffield Libraries – £87,000
• North Lincolnshire Council – £265,560
• Hull Culture and Leisure Library – £203,175
• East Riding Libraries – £300,000

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

£28.5 million UK Games Fund to support video games studios with great ideas create the next Grand Theft Auto or Tomb Raider.

• London Games Festival kicks off with £1.5 million of new government funding to help it attract investment in British talent
• Measures form part of government’s Creative Industries Sector Plan, part of the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy, to turbocharge economic growth

Video game developers with great ideas for the next generation of smash hit games are being urged to apply for a share of a new £28.5 million pot of funding.

The move represents a doubling in funding for the sector as the government puts the Creative Industries Sector Plan into action. These targeted investments are expected to pay dividends to the taxpayer by driving economic growth and creating jobs. Applications for funding will open from 14 April.

The UK is already an international powerhouse in gaming, having created global hits like Grand Theft Auto, Fable, PowerWash Simulator and No Man’s Sky. Across the UK, there are more than 2,000 gaming companies, employing tens of thousands of people recognised globally for their talent and creativity.

Through the Games Growth Package, the government will support newly-formed and expanding developers to turn blueprints for games into reality, enabling them to sell their product both in the UK and around the world.

The package is launching as leading games companies from around the world gather at the London Games Festival. Today the government can also announce that £1.5 million of new funding has been awarded to the festival over the next three years, to help ensure the UK remains at the centre of the sector globally.

The funding will help strengthen investor partnerships, doubling the value to £30 million per year of private investment deals at the festival. 

Creative Industries Minister Ian Murray said:

Video games are not only great fun, they are big business – and for too long their value to the British economy has been overlooked.

That is why the government has thrown its full support behind the sector with £30 million of new funding. This will turbocharge the careers of some of our most talented game developers, creating more jobs and economic growth right across the country as their ideas come to fruition.

The video game market is bigger than ever before, with £8.8 billion being spent by gamers per year, meaning there are excellent expansion prospects for our world-class sector. This new funding will empower developers to take advantage of these opportunities, creating jobs and driving economic growth.

The sector has strong footholds in areas outside London including Dundee, Leamington Spa and Guildford, and this additional funding will help ensure it thrives in all regions of the UK.

The Games Growth Package was a key commitment in the Industrial Strategy’s Creative Industries Sector Plan, a £380 million growth blueprint to ensure the UK’s creative sectors remain the best in the world.

Grants from the UK Games Fund will be split into three categories:

• An Entry Track, with grants of up to £20,000 available to newly formed companies with limited track records but strong potential for growth.
• An Emergent Track, with grants of up to £100,000 for prototyping new games.
• An Expansion Track, with grants of up to £250,000 – the largest ever provided by the Fund – available to take games forward to completion and enable studios to scale up.

This is on top of significantly increased support for the sector from the British Business Bank and the UKRI research body and generous games tax relief. Additionally, £20 million of funding has been provided by the government to Tay Cities Region to back local talent in advancing creative technologies like computer games and virtual reality to drive new products and grow the economy.

It also builds on work such as Ukie’s Made in the UK games campaign, which showcases the best homemade games like RuneScape and Tomb Raider, and the business that built them.

The government has also commissioned the Chartered Trading Standard Institute to develop new guidance to help gamers better understand their consumer rights when purchasing their favourite games. The guidance clarifies business obligations and consumer rights under the law when selling and purchasing digital content, including video games. A CTSI-led consultation will launch in the coming months to inform this guidance. 

As part of the government’s wider plans to grow the gaming sector, it will engage with the newly-established UK Esports Advisory Panel, a Ukie-led forum between government and the esports sector which will ensure the UK remains a world leader in this industry.

This is the latest step in the delivery of the Creative Industries Sector Plan, following recent events to promote funding for innovation and access to finance.

Paul Durrant OBE, UK Games Talent and Finance CIC Founder and Director, said:

We welcome this strong reinforcement of government support for the UK video games development sector. The three track funding approach will ensure that support is provided across the broadest level of the UK sector.

Nick Poole OBE, Chief Executive of Ukie, said:

We welcome the Government’s Games Growth Package as a strong vote of confidence in the UK games industry.

We have been pleased to work with the DCMS team to help shape this package of support, ensuring it reflects the needs of studios across the country. Targeted support across the development pipeline will help studios start, scale and stay globally competitive.

As we look ahead to a defining year for games made in the UK, we will continue working closely with government to support growth, drive innovation, and create high-quality jobs across the country.

Dr Richard Wilson OBE, TIGA CEO, said:

Access to finance is a persistent challenge for many game developers. TIGA has previously called for more prototype and content funding to enable studios to access the investment they need to make great games. Today’s announcement of an increase in grant funding for newly formed companies, prototype funding and expansion funding is great news for studios, the games industry and the wider UK economy.

Michael French MBE, Head of Games London & Festival Director, London Games Festival, said:

Over the last ten years, LGF and Games London has supported talent across the UK and helped establish London as one of the world’s largest hubs for games makers – but this commitment from national government into the London Games Festival has fast-tracked our deeper ambitions.

The efforts are already paying off: This week sees the largest showing yet for our festival, which will help to further promote London and the UK as a video games centre of excellence to global investors and decision makers. This can only keep growing over the next three years and we are excited to help raise the international profile of the UK’s games market, reach bigger audiences nationally and around the world, and facilitate investment into games businesses up and down the country.

Nick Button-Brown, Chair, UK Video Games Council: 

This is an amazing statement of intent by the government and a sign of their long-term support for gaming in the UK.

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

Government today launches plan to make it easier for the wealthiest in society to give back to communities that need help most.

• This new plan will include new opportunities for philanthropists to partner with government in targeting their giving
• Plan will connect philanthropists with existing local initiatives, helping spread donations across the country

Billions of pounds will become more accessible to England’s most disadvantaged communities as the government sets out a new plan to deal with some of the most pressing and challenging societal issues across this country.

Despite £14 billion being donated to charity across the UK in 2025, the benefits have not been shared equally. London currently receives more than a third of all funding from the largest philanthropic foundations and four times the value of Gift Aid donations compared to the UK average.

The government’s new plan, Our Place to Give, aims to change that. By connecting philanthropic donors with local organisations outside of London, the plan aims to ensure that investment reaches the communities and people that need it most.  

Backed by £1 million of government funding, the place-based plan will offer opportunities for match-funding, better involve philanthropists in funding programmes, and ensure their voices are brought in and heard as programmes are devised and implemented. 

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

Today’s announcement will help philanthropists across the country support local causes they are passionate about.

By better connecting generous individuals with local organisations at the heart of their communities, we can unlock a new wave of giving that reaches every corner of the country.

Steve Rigby, Chair of The Rigby Foundation and CEO, Rigby Group said:

The strong backing this report has received across the sector reflects the insight and experience brought together in its development. The UK has some outstanding philanthropists, and Our Place to Give provides a roadmap for unlocking even greater investment into communities across the country. 

Through my family’s charitable work in the West Midlands and my participation in the Philanthropy Reference Group, I’ve seen first-hand how connecting generous donors with local people and projects can drive meaningful, lasting change.

By 2050, up to £7 trillion is expected to be passed down to the next generation. The government’s new plan sets out a plan to unlock new pathways for generous donations to reach communities most in need.

The plan will strengthen links between donors and places, build better partnerships and unlock further investment. Key actions include: 

• £1 million of funding over three years to help organisations across England share expertise, attract investment and create sustainable economic growth 
• A network of regional philanthropic ambassadors will be appointed to broker stronger links between philanthropists, communities and government
• Collaboration between  government and the  financial services sector to better provide philanthropic advice 

The government will promote a more open culture of giving, celebrating the profound impact of local philanthropy and encouraging the next generation of philanthropists to invest back into the communities that shaped them. To support this, a new toolkit is being launched for MPs alongside the roadmap, equipping local representatives to champion philanthropy, convene local giving opportunities and foster a positive environment for generosity in the places they know best.

This builds on the government’s wider ambitions for community renewal. The £5.8 billion Pride in Place programme is already empowering local people to direct funding towards what matters most in their areas. By aligning philanthropic investment with these place-based priorities, the government aims to ensure that the generosity of high-net-worth individuals complements and amplifies existing public investment, driving lasting change in the communities that need it most.

Our Place to Give: a plan for growing place-based philanthropy is available at gov.uk.

The press release issued by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport on 10 April 2026.

£4 million of public funding and private philanthropy to improve access to museums and galleries across the country.

• Investment to support local people by improving displays, enhancing collection care and making exhibitions more accessible to visitors
• Partnership between the DCMS and the Wolfson Foundation has funded more than 440 projects over the last 24 years, to help more people engage with arts and culture

24 local museums have received a share of £4 million through the DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund. 

The Fund brings together £2 million in match funding from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and independent, grant making charity, the Wolfson Foundation. It supports local museums by improving displays, enhancing collection care and making exhibitions more accessible to visitors. 

Over the past 24 years, the fund has awarded over £50 million, which has supported more than 440 projects across the country. It supports the Government’s ongoing commitment to ensure everyone, everywhere has access to arts and culture in the place they call home. 

Yesterday (Thursday 9 April), the Museums Minister Baroness Twycross and Paul Ramsbottom, Chief Executive of the Wolfson Foundation, visited Norwich Castle which has been awarded £228,900 in this latest round. They met with local representatives to discuss how the investment will enable Norwich Castle to upgrade the gallery infrastructure, remodel and update display cases and reinterpret collections, improving the visitor experience. 

Museums Minister, Baroness Twycross said:

We want to ensure that everyone, everywhere can experience arts and culture in the area they call home and this fund plays a key role in making that possible.

The DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund demonstrates how public funding and private philanthropy can work together to open up access to museums and galleries for those who might otherwise face barriers, and help more people enjoy the UK’s world-class collections.

Paul Ramsbottom, Chief Executive of the Wolfson Foundation, said:

Museums are among the great treasures of British cultural life. They preserve the collections and stories that speak of our shared creativity and community heritage. This latest round of funding from the long-standing DCMS/Wolfson partnership allows museums – and particularly regional museums – to upgrade their facilities and improve access to their collections, so more of us can enjoy the fascinating wonders on our doorstep.

Other examples of funded projects include:

• The Black Country Living Museum will receive £272,000 for a project which will revive the Museum’s historic but currently inactive electric trolleybuses and extend the route into the local 1940s-60s High Street. This project will restore the use of the electric transport, protect the area’s nationally significant collection and transform access and deliver a truly unique immersive experience for visitors.
• Museum of Hartlepool has been awarded £218,400 for the creation of a Temporary Exhibitions Gallery and Collections Care Facility. The investment will support essential upgrades to the Museum’s Exhibition and Collections infrastructure by installing new display cases, lighting, flooring, and environmental controls meeting national security and conservation standards. This will improve collections facilities to provide secure, climate-controlled conditions for artefacts in storage, ensuring that treasures can continue to inspire and educate visitors for generations. 
• Kirkleatham Museum will receive £272,000 which will help to reimagine Kirkleatham Museum’s permanent galleries around three themes – People and Place, Industry and Innovation, and Heritage and Discovery. The project will support the redevelopment of the Museum’s core gallery spaces, creating modern, accessible and inspiring displays that better reflect the stories, people and heritage of Redcar and Cleveland.

The successful museums and galleries are part of the 15th round of funding from the DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund.

Notes to editors

Full list of recipients:

North West

• Platt Hall (Manchester City Galleries) – £38,700
• Manchester Museum – £200,000

North East

• Segedunum Roman Fort – £213,100
• Seven Stories, National Centre for Children’s Books – £316,200
• Museum of Hartlepool – £218,400
• Kirkleatham Museum – £272,000

South East

• Reading Museum – £80,000
• Weald and Downland Living Museum – £227,000
• Booth Museum of Natural History – £139,900
• Pitt Rivers Museum – £55,000

South West

• SS Great Britain – £46,300
• Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon – £103,000
• Bristol Museum and Art Gallery – £317,100
• The Burton at Bideford – £86,500

West Midlands

• Barber Institute of Fine Arts – £150,000
• British Motor Museum – £147,700
• Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery – £183,100
• Black Country Living Museum – £272,000

East Midlands 

• National Tramway Museum – £210,600

East of England

• Food Museum – £357,600
• Norwich Castle – £228,900

London 

• Garden Museum – £75,000

Yorkshire and the Humber

• Thackray Museum of Medicine – £39,900
• Hepworth Wakefield – £22,000

About DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund

The DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund provides capital funding for museums and galleries across England to improve displays, protect collections and make exhibitions more accessible to visitors. For 2025-27, DCMS and the Wolfson Foundation have each contributed £2 million to the Fund, which has benefitted more than 440 projects in its more than 24-year history.  

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 6 April 2026.

First eight ‘Young Futures Hubs’ opening in Birmingham, Brighton and Hove, Bristol, County Durham, Leeds, Manchester, Nottingham, and Tower Hamlets.

• Part of the National Youth Strategy, a network of 50 Hubs will provide joined-up services across mental health and wellbeing, employment and crime prevention
• Next week the Government will launch its plan to halve knife crime within a decade to save lives, transform the futures of young people and protect communities across the country

Young people in eight locations across England are to benefit from the first ‘Young Futures Hubs’ opened by the Government. The hubs, targeted in areas with high levels of anti-social behaviour and knife crime, will:

• Transform the lives of young people, cut crime and protect communities 
• Divert them away from knife crime and anti-social behaviour
• Provide them with services and advice to combat social isolation, mental health and unemployment
• Give access to safe, trusted adults

Under the government’s National Youth Strategy, Youth Matters, the first eight of 50 Young Futures Hubs have opened or will shortly open in Birmingham, Brighton, Bristol, Durham, Leeds, Manchester, Nottingham and Tower Hamlets.

Hubs will build on existing services, and create safe, welcoming spaces bringing a range of local support services under one roof. Young people aged 10-18 (and up to 25 for those with SEND) will have access to trusted adults who will provide wellbeing support, careers guidance, and positive activities like sport, arts and volunteering. The government is committed to ensuring that success for young people is not determined by their background, and the hubs will also offer support for vulnerable children. These activities help divert young people away from knife crime and anti-social behaviour, as well as combat social isolation and mental health, and increase access to job opportunities for young people.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said:

The closure of over a thousand youth centres since 2010 didn’t just take away facilities, it took away community, connection and opportunity for a generation. We are determined to rebuild that.

These hubs are about more than bricks and mortar, they’re a statement that this government believes in young people and is investing in their futures. What makes them different is that we’re joining things up – wellbeing support, crime prevention, work coaches, youth services, all in one place. 

We’re making sure teenagers have somewhere to go, someone to talk to, and a real chance to thrive.

This comes as the Government launches its plan to halve knife crime within a decade. Titled “Protecting Lives, Building Hope”, it will save lives, transform the futures of young people and protect communities across the country. The Government will support young people so they get the best start in life, stop those at risk from turning to knife crime and police our streets to catch and punish perpetrators. 

In some areas, the Hubs will work with new multi-agency Young Futures Panels, to ensure children at risk of knife crime are provided with the support they need.  The panels bring together the police, children’s services, schools, and community organisations to identify vulnerable children early, spot risks that may otherwise go unnoticed, and ensure they are quickly referred into the right support before issues escalate. 

Sarah Jones, Policing Minister, said: 

Knife crime devastates lives. Behind every statistic is a child who didn’t make it home, a family whose world has been shattered, and a community left with fear. This Government will halve knife crime within a decade, saving lives and protecting communities. We will roll out Young Futures Hubs in crime hotspots across the country to divert young people from violence, cut crime and protect communities.

The Prime Minister has spoken of how young people have become “collateral damage” over the past decade, prompting the launch of the National Youth Strategy – the first in 15 years. The ambitious 10-year plan to rebuild youth services is backed by over £500 million of investment, and was designed in collaboration with more than 14,000 young people across England.

£70 million will be invested to establish 50 Young Futures Hubs and transform local youth services, rebuilding Local Authority capability after a decade of declining investment, with spending falling by 73% since 2010. As a result, many young people have been left without access to safe, supportive environments or a community to belong to, while reliance on online interaction has grown in the absence of face-to-face opportunities.

Minister for Youth and Civil Society Stephanie Peacock said:

When this Government developed the National Youth Strategy, we listened to over 14,000 young people from across the country. What came through clearly was that they wanted somewhere to go, something to do, and someone who cares. Young Futures Hubs are part our response to this and we are delighted to see the first eight up and running. Hubs are places where young people can belong, with trusted adults and positive activities all under one roof. Keeping young people safe and away from crime starts with making sure they have the right support around them, and that’s exactly what these hubs deliver.

The Young Futures Hubs programme has been designed to respond directly to these challenges by creating welcoming, youth-led spaces where young people can enjoy real-life connections, with somewhere to go, something to do, and someone who cares for them.

From the Barca Leeds in Bramley to the Full Circle Docklands in Bristol, each hub has been co-designed with young people themselves, ensuring the atmosphere and activities reflect their true needs and passions.

The eight Young Futures Hubs have opened or will shortly open in the following locations:

• Manchester: Young Futures Hub (YF Hub) network based across Moss Side Millenium Powerhouse (Moss Side), Manchester Youth Zone (Harpurhey), and Woodhouse Park Lifestyle Centre (Wythenshawe), with further outreach planned in six smaller neighbourhood hubs across the city. 
• Birmingham: YF Hub to open in temporary location at Library of Birmingham before moving to permanent Cannon Street site from summer 2026. 
• Brighton and Hove: Main YF Hub based at 67 Centre, with linked sites in central locations at Brighton Youth Centre, Tarner and Impact Initiatives, as well as in Hangleton and Knoll. Further offers in the east of the city are under development. 
• County Durham: YF Hub based at Newton Aycliffe Leisure Centre.
• Bristol: Main YF Hub based at Full Circle Docklands, with enhanced provision and a connected network across five venues in Ashley, Central and Lawrence Hill wards, connecting the Hub with additional outreach in the community and schools. 
• Tower Hamlets: YF Hub based at Haileybury Youth Centre in the central St Dunstan’s ward.
• Leeds: Main YF Hub based at Barca Leeds in Bramley, with additional ‘spokes’ sites at LS-TEN in south Leeds and Imagination Station in east Leeds. 
• Nottingham: Main YF hub based at Beaumont Street Community Centre with plans to work with partners to provide services for all children and young people to access across the City.

More information on specific provision at each site is available on request.