Tag: Department for Culture and Media

The press release issued by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport on 25 July 2023.

New rules to crack down on illegal ads, influencer scams and protect children online.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 24 July 2023.

Charities and community organisations carrying out vital work to help vulnerable people are invited to apply for a major government support package

• Most vulnerable people in society protected from cost of living with £76 million government support package
• New fund supporting charities and community organisations providing vital services opens today
• Grants targeted at organisations struggling with rising costs and increased demand
• Delivers on Prime Minister’s commitment to support people with cost of living and protect low-income households

Charities and community organisations carrying out vital work to help vulnerable people are today invited to apply for a major government support package worth £76 million.

The fund will support frontline charities and community organisations struggling to meet increased demand for their critical services, such as the provision of food, emergency provisions, shelter, safe spaces, warmth and financial or housing advice.

This delivers on the Prime Minister’s commitment to support people with the cost of living and protect low-income households from rising costs.

Organisations can apply for grants worth between £10,000 and £75,000 to cover project and core costs, including office rent, utilities, staff and volunteers, from now until the end of March.

Minister for Civil Society Stuart Andrew said:

We recognise this is a tough time for families and businesses across the country, as they face rising prices and higher rents or mortgage payments.

And during tough times charity and community organisations are at the heart of society, supporting people struggling through life with care and compassion.

To deal with a sharp rise in demand resulting from cost of living pressures, we are supporting charities with £76 million to enable these lifeline services to cope with the increased demand they are facing and continue their good work.

The Community Organisations Cost of Living Fund is the first portion of funding from a total pot of £101.5 million announced by the Chancellor at the Spring Budget. Charities and community organisations are encouraged to apply for the targeted support, with a focus on small to medium-sized voluntary, community or social enterprise organisations based in England.

David Knott, Chief Executive of The National Lottery Community Fund said:

We are pleased to be working alongside DCMS to distribute this funding on behalf of Government through the Community Organisations Cost of Living Fund.

This much-needed money will support charities and groups across England working under immense pressure to deliver critical services to communities struggling with the impact of the cost of living.

The remaining quarter of the funding announced at Budget, worth £25.5 million, will be used to fund measures over the next two years to help the long term energy and financial resilience of voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations, as well as supporting the Government’s commitment to meeting a net zero target by 2050. Details on the application process will be announced later this year.

Applications will be accepted until 16 October 2023. Further details on eligibility and the applications process can be found on The National Lottery Community Fund website, in their role as the intermediary grant maker.

The remaining quarter of the funding announced at Budget, worth £25.5 million, will be used to fund measures over the next two years to help the long term energy and financial resilience of voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations, as well as supporting the Government’s commitment to meeting a net zero target by 2050. Details on the application process will be announced later this year.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 20 July 2023.

His Majesty the King has appointed Michael Smyth CBE KC (Hon) as the Northern Ireland Member of the BBC Board.

Michael Smyth CBE KC (Hon)

Appointed for a four year term commencing 20 July 2023 to 19 July 2027.

Michael Smyth is an experienced lawyer and regulator. For 20 years, he was a partner in international law firm Clifford Chance, latterly as head of the firm’s government and public policy practice and leading on assignments including the Hutton Inquiry and a number of high-profile corporate crises.

He wrote the textbook Business and the Human Rights Act and is also joint author of works on political donations and sanctions law.

He has been Senior Independent Director at the Legal Services Board, the oversight regulator of the legal profession and also been a member of the Press Complaints Commission. He was also a founder director of the Fundraising Regulator, and was for two terms a member of the Advisory Council on National Records and Archives.

Amongst his many not-for-profit activities, he was for a decade chair of Protect, the whistleblowing charity and later Community Links, the pioneering east London charity.

Michael, who was born in Northern Ireland, is also non-executive chair of Glastry Advisory Partners, a music management company.

Remuneration and Governance Code

The BBC Northern Ireland Member is remunerated £38,000 a year. This appointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

Article 23(10) of the BBC’s Royal Charter requires the agreement of Northern Ireland’s Executive Committee to make this appointment. On 6 December 2022 the Northern Ireland Office secured passage of the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2022. This includes provision on the exercise of appointment functions in the absence of the Executive Committee, including section 7 on public appointments. This came into force on 7 February by virtue of S.I 2023/89 (C.7). The effect of section 7 is to convert the Royal Charter’s requirement to obtain the agreement of the Executive Committee to a requirement to consult a Northern Ireland department during the current period in which there is no Executive. The Department for Communities were consulted on this appointment and confirmed it was content for this appointment to proceed.

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 Smyth KC CBE (Hon) has not declared any significant political activity.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 13 July 2023.

Export bar placed on £2.9 million chandelier to allow time for a UK institution to acquire the work.

• Avant-garde bronze chandelier commissioned by Peter Watson in 1940s
• Giacometti is regarded as one of the most important sculptors of the 20th century

A unique bronze chandelier designed by renowned Swiss sculptor Alberto Giacometti shortly after the Second World War is at risk of leaving the UK unless a domestic buyer can be found.

The chandelier, which is worth £2,922,000 plus VAT, is made from bronze and has a multi-layered armature, with sharply pointed branches radiating out from a central stem. Each socket is decorated with organic detailing and hanging from the base of the main stem is a punctuated sphere.

The piece was commissioned in 1947 from Giacometti by Peter Watson, a significant figure in the cultural life of mid-century Britain whose patronage of the arts and the influential Horizon magazine helped shape modern British painting, sculpture, and literature.

The piece is particularly valuable given Giacometti is widely regarded as one of the most important sculptors of the 20th century and it was  commissioned specifically for the offices of Horizon magazine. As a result, the chandelier is of particular interest for the study of mid-century European avant-garde art.

Arts & Heritage Minister Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay said:

Giacometti’s masterful exploration of space and use of bronze in this extraordinary chandelier provided a centrepiece for cultural discussion in post-war London as it hung in the offices of avant garde magazine, Horizon.

It is a prime example of sculptors blurring the boundaries between function and art in the decorative arts.

The minister’s decision follows the advice of the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest (RCEWA).

Andrew Hochhauser KC, Chair RCEWA said:

Giacometti’s bronze chandelier was commissioned in about 1947 by Peter Watson, a significant figure in cultural life in the mid-20th century, a great patron of the arts in Britain and the co-founder of the literary and cultural magazine, Horizon, for its new offices in Bedford Square. It is an exceptional realisation of Giacometti’s work in the decorative arts and is the only known UK decorative art commission by the leading 20th century sculptor. It offers outstanding opportunities for the study of this neglected area of Giacometti’s output and the meeting of European avant-garde art and decorative arts in the mid-twentieth century. I sincerely hope it can find a home in this country where it can be studied and enjoyed.

The committee made its recommendation on the basis that the chandelier met the first, second and third Waverley criteria for its outstanding connection with our history and national life, its outstanding aesthetic importance and its outstanding significance to the study of Giacometti’s work in the decorative arts and the meeting of European avant-garde art and decorative arts in the mid-20th century.

The decision on the export licence application for the chandelier will be deferred for a period ending on 12th November 2023. At the end of the first deferral period owners will have a consideration period of 15 Business Days to consider any offer(s) to purchase the chandelier at the recommended price of £2,922,000 (plus VAT of £104,000 which can be reclaimed by an eligible institution). The second deferral period will commence following the signing of an Option Agreement and will last for four months.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 13 July 2023.

The Secretary of State has reappointed Paul Darling OBE KC as Chairman for a 4 year term and Anne Lambert CMG as Independent Member for a 2 year and 9 month term commencing on 01 April 2024.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 13 July 2023.

Former England and Great Britain footballer turned pundit Karen Carney MBE has today published her major independent review into the future of domestic women’s football.

• Former Lioness Karen Carney MBE publishes findings and recommendations of her review into the future of domestic women’s football
• Review was commissioned by UK Government following England’s UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 success and is published in the build-up to the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023
• Report recommends raising minimum standards across the game and calls for the Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship to become fully professional environments

Former England and Great Britain footballer turned pundit Karen Carney MBE has today published her major review into the future of domestic women’s football, calling for the Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship to become fully professional environments, and a new dedicated broadcast slot for women’s football.

The findings in the independent report, commissioned by the Government in September 2022, examine the opportunities and challenges for the women’s and girls’ game – from the commercial future of the elite game to the current professional environment, the fan experience and women and girls’ experiences of participating in grassroots football. It sets out a route to lift minimum standards and deliver bold and sustainable growth at elite and grassroots levels.

Since the launch of the review, Carney has met with a wide variety of stakeholders from across the game. This includes the technical staff and players at Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship clubs, former players, the football authorities and representatives from organisations across women’s sport and beyond to discuss the issues facing the game’s development.

She has also met with financial and commercial experts, alongside major broadcasters and sponsors to discuss the game’s financial health and future revenue opportunities.

Chair of the review of domestic women’s football Karen Carney MBE said:

Following the Lionesses’ unforgettable success in 2022 and as we look ahead to the World Cup, it is clear that domestic women’s football has reached a defining moment.

This review has enabled us to get a comprehensive understanding of the state of the game, and how we can capitalise on the current momentum.

It is clear that the women’s game in this country can become a world leading sport that not only generates immense economic and social value, but sets the standards for women’s professional sport globally.

These recommendations must be a blueprint for how this can be achieved, and must be acted upon with urgency.

The review makes ten recommendations:

• The new standalone company tasked with running the Women’s Super League (WSL) and Women’s Championship, NewCo, should not settle for anything less than world leading standards for players, fans, staff and everybody involved in the women’s game.
• The FA needs to fix the talent pathway to create generation after generation of world-beating Lionesses. As part of this:
  • The FA should choose a strategic partner willing to invest in building a sustainable pipeline of domestic talent.
  • Clubs should be allowed access to an increased pool of international talent while the domestic pathway is fixed.
• The Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship should become fully professional environments designed to attract, develop and sustain the best playing talent in the world. This means the FA:
  • Addressing the gulf in minimum operating standards between the two leagues (specifically minimum contact time with a player, and player salaries).
  • Providing gold standard physical and mental health provision.
  • Mandating elite training facilities for players.
  • Mandating a world leading parental package.
  • Funding full union representation to both tiers.
  • Uplifting duty of care provision for players.
  • Offering best-in-class career transition support for players leaving the professional game.
• The FA should urgently address the lack of diversity across the women’s game – in on and off-pitch roles.
• The FA, Premier League, EFL and broadcasters should work together to carve out a new dedicated broadcast slot for women’s football (last season most WSL matches kicked off at 11.30am on Saturdays and 6.45pm on Sundays).
• Clubs must better value and support their fans – the FA should raise minimum standards to enforce this.
• The Government must deliver on recent commitments around equal access to school sports for girls.
• Everyone involved in funding grassroots facilities – the Government, local authorities, the FA and Premier League – must come together to increase investment to accommodate meaningful access for women and girls to play sport.
• The FA, Premier League and Football Foundation should work together to make sure women and girls are benefitting from funding flowing into facilities across the pyramid.
• As the FA hands over the responsibility for running the Women’s Super League and Championship to NewCo, it must now place more focus on the development of grassroots clubs and the rest of the women’s football pyramid.

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said:

I want to pay tribute to Karen Carney and her panel of experts for all the hard work and dedication they have put into producing such an important review.

After the joy of last summer when the Lionesses lifted the Women’s EURO 2022 trophy, and as we approach the Women’s World Cup in just a few days time, we are at a milestone for women’s sport.

Women’s football in particular has huge potential to improve the lives of women and girls and offer a special and accessible sporting environment for fans. Everyone involved in the game must consider the recommendations made in this report and help to take the game to the next level.

The findings and recommendations have been developed with the support of a panel of experts. It includes former professional footballer turned pundit Ian Wright, former Lionesses Head Coach Hope Powell, Chair of the Professional Game Academy Audit Company and Director of the Women in Football group Jane Purdon, NFL Head of Europe and UK and former CEO of World Rugby Brett Gosper, former Deloitte Global Lead Partner for Sports Business Dan Jones and Secretary General of the International Working Group on Women and Sport Lisa O’Keefe.

The Government will set out its full response to the recommendations in the autumn.

The press release issued by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport on 12 July 2023.

A collection of 18th-century drawings by botanical artist Simon Taylor (1742-1796) valued at £17,640 is at risk of leaving the UK unless a domestic buyer is found.

• 38 original drawings of flowers by Simon Taylor played vital part  in development of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew
• Collection provides a unique record of what was growing in British gardens, especially Kew, undocumented elsewhere
• Export bar decision follows independent advice of the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest

A collection of 18th-century drawings by botanical artist Simon Taylor (1742-1796) valued at £17,640 is at risk of leaving the UK unless a domestic buyer is found.

Arts and Heritage Minister Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay has placed an export bar on the collection of 38 original drawings of flowers in the hope they can remain in the UK for public study and education.

The minister’s decision follows the independent advice of the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest.

The collection of original drawings was highly significant in helping John Stuart, third Earl of Bute (1713-92), in the development of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, which he helped transform into a national botanic garden of international repute for Princess Augusta.

The drawings are a significant record of the plants in the garden prior to the involvement of Joseph Banks who became Kew’s first unofficial director in 1768.

They are significant for their aesthetic value, scientific accuracy and provide a unique record of what was growing in British gardens, especially Kew, undocumented elsewhere.The expert committee found the botanical drawings are of outstanding significance in the branches of horticultural, artistic and scientific history.

This assessment was based on the ‘Waverley Criteria’, established in 1952 to decide on works of art and cultural objects which deserve efforts to keep them in the country.

Arts and Heritage Minister Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay said:

This collection of watercolour drawings by Simon Taylor – commissioned by the botanist and Prime Minister Lord Bute – helped to sow the seeds for the wonderful Royal Botanic Garden at Kew.

From its earliest days, Kew was a leading hub of research and education. This collection is a significant record of its eighteenth-century origins and what could be found there before it became the garden we know and cherish today.

I sincerely hope that a UK buyer comes forward to save this incredible collection so that the public can continue to learn from and admire it.

Committee Member Peter Barber said:

The Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew are universally recognised as one of this country’s greatest glories. They were the fruit of a partnership between George III’s mother, Augusta of Saxe-Gotha, Dowager Princess of Wales, and his tutor and later prime minister, John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute. But very little survives to show what plants were originally to be found in the Gardens. An opportunity has now arisen to save some precious depictions of these plants for the nation.

Taylor’s 38 finely executed watercolours, commissioned by Lord Bute, are much more than merely pretty pictures.  Part of a now dispersed collection of 15 volumes containing nearly 700 paintings, they have the potential to add significantly to our knowledge of Kew in its earliest days. I hope they can find a home in this country where they can most easily and appropriately be studied and enjoyed, and perhaps be joined in the future by more volumes, or at least watercolours, as they emerge.

The Committee made its recommendation on the basis that the drawings meet the first and third Waverley criteria for their outstanding connection with our history and national life and their outstanding significance to the study of history of development of botany in the UK and at Kew Gardens in particular.

The decision on the export licence application for the drawings will be deferred for a period ending on 11 September 2023. At the end of the first deferral period owners will have a consideration period of 15 Business Days to consider any offer(s) to purchase the drawings at the recommended price of £17,640. The second deferral period will commence following the signing of an Option Agreement and will last for three months.

Offers from public bodies for less than the recommended price through the private treaty sale arrangements, where appropriate, may also be considered by the Minister. Such purchases frequently offer substantial financial benefit to a public institution wishing to acquire the item.

Notes to editors:

1. In December 2022, Lord Parkinson discussed the Waverley criteria in a speech to mark their 70th anniversary, and used the opportunity to invite thoughts on the way they work – for instance, whether the Committee should say more about how it has  considered items’ connection to the history of other countries as well as to the UK’s, or whether the items it considers are destined for public display rather than private collection. [Read his full speech] (https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/lord-parkinson-speech-at-a-reception-to-mark-70-years-of-the-waverley-criteria)
2. Organisations or individuals interested in purchasing the drawings should contact the RCEWA on 0161 934 4317.
3. Details of the drawings are as follows: One folio volume (607 x 450 mm) containing 38 watercolours on vellum, unsigned and undated. Latin binomial names of the plant subjects neatly written on each painting in ink. Contemporary binding in red Morocco gilt, with arms of John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute. Spine title reads “Plants by Taylor. Vol. XIII”.
4. Provenance: John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute (1712-1792). His executor’s sale of the Bute Library, Leigh and Sotheby, 8 May 1794, lot 1246. The Library Collection of Henry Rogers Boughton, 2nd Baron Fairhaven (1900-1973) established by him between 1927 and 1960, United Kingdom. Thence by descent to the current owner.
5. The Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest is an independent body, serviced by Arts Council England (ACE), which advises the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on whether a cultural object, intended for export, is of national importance under specified criteria.
6. Arts Council England is the national development agency for creativity and culture. Its strategic vision in Let’s Create is that, by 2030, England should be a country in which the creativity of everyone is valued and given the chance to flourish and where everyone has access to a remarkable range of high-quality cultural experiences. ACE invests public money from the government and the National Lottery to support the sector and deliver the vision. Following the Covid-19 crisis, ACE developed a £160 million Emergency Response Package, with nearly 90 per cent coming from the National Lottery, for organisations and individuals needing support. It is also one of the bodies administering the government’s unprecedented Culture Recovery Fund.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 12 July 2023.

The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has reappointed David Mahoney and Tove Okunniwa as Board Members of Sport England for terms of two years and three months. Tove Okunniwa will take up duties as Vice Chair of the Board.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 10 July 2023.

His Majesty the King has appointed Harris Bokhari OBE as Chair of National Citizen Service Trust.

Harris Bokhari OBE

Appointed for a term of three years commencing 12 July 2023.

Harris is a social entrepreneur, public engagement advisor and chartered accountant. His wide range of roles include serving on the Board of the Natural History Museum (Chairing the Audit and Risk Committee), The Royal Parks, the Prince’s Trust Mosaic Initiative and is an elected council member of the National Trust.

Harris founded the Patchwork Foundation in 2010. In 2018, he was awarded the Diversity Champion Award by the Cabinet Office as part of its inaugural National Democracy Week.

In 2012, in memory of the late father Naz Bokhari OBE, Harris co-founded the Naz Legacy Foundation which helps young people from minority communities and disadvantaged backgrounds by supporting their education whilst encouraging positive integration into British society. This was awarded the 2014 Big Society Award from the Prime Minister.

Harris is an Independent Member of the King’s Award for Voluntary Service Committee and the Community and Voluntary Service Honours Committee. He is also an ambassador for the British Asian Trust.

Harris was awarded an OBE in Her Majesty’s 2015 Birthday Honours List for services to young people and interfaith relations. He was named as one of London’s most influential figures by the Evening Standard’s Progress 1000 List and awarded Imperial College’s inaugural Distinguished Alumni.

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said:

“Supporting young people, particularly those at risk, is a key priority of mine and I am looking forward to working with Harris Bokhari to make our joint vision come to life. Harris’ experience of social enterprise and championing young people’s engagement in their communities will serve him well as the new Chair, leading the NCS Trust in its continued transformation and its new strategy.

I would also like to thank Brett Wigdortz for his dedication and service as NCS Trust’s Chair since 2018. I am very grateful to Brett for his leadership during a particularly challenging period”.

Remuneration and Governance Code

The Chair of the National Citizen Service Trust is remunerated at a day rate of £400, up to a maximum of £40,000 a year. This appointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s 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. Harris Bokhari OBE has not declared any significant political activity.

The press release issued by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport on 7 July 2023.

Bradford will benefit from a cash boost of at least £10 million to kick off the city’s tenure as UK City of Culture in 2025 and help grow the economy, one of the Prime Minister’s five priorities.

• Cash boost supports the Government’s ambition to grow the economy and create opportunities with almost 7,000 new jobs and growth of £389 million in the local economy
• Approximately 1,000 performances by local artists and creatives expected to attract more than 15 million visitors in 2025
• Announcement comes on ten-year anniversary of UK City of Culture programme

The investment will support the delivery of Bradford’s programme of cultural activity over the year – ranging from live performances in existing cultural venues to pop-up experiences in a bespoke touring venue, Beacon.

Approximately 1,000 performances will take place in 2025, developed alongside and in collaboration with local artists and creatives. They are expected to attract 15.5 million visitors and bring an additional visitor spend of £136.9 million into the local economy over the course of the year.

The increased cultural and economic activity is expected to deliver up to £389 million of growth for Bradford as UK City of Culture 2025.

The funding boost will also help Bradford with its ambition, set out in its bid to host the event, to create 6,845 new jobs and opportunities right across the city by 2030.

In addition, Arts Council England is allocating £5 million in National Lottery funding to support Bradford’s programme during its tenure as UK City of Culture.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund also confirms today it is awarding £4.95 million specifically to develop a programme of activities to bring the diverse heritage of the city to the fore during 2025’s celebrations.

Stuart Andrew, Culture Minister, said:

With its unique culture and young and vibrant population, Bradford will be a fantastic host for the UK City of Culture 2025.

We are investing £10 million in the city this year to help prepare for the event so we can make sure it stimulates new jobs and growth in the local economy through culture.

We want to open up access to the arts, create opportunities for young people, and inspire our next generation of writers, artists and performers.

Residents of Bradford will be able to participate in the various projects and develop their skills across several sectors. For example, Bradford 2025 recently launched a one-of-its-kind competition with the Royal Institute of British Architects to design a touring venue, Beacon, to play host to performances and live events across the district during the summer of 2025.

Darren Henley, Chief Executive, Arts Council England, said:

The team at Bradford 2025 are already building a life-changing, awe-inspiring programme of brilliant artistic and cultural activities across the district’s arts organisations, museums and libraries. But there’s so much more to come.

This investment will have a huge impact on the lives of the people who live, work and study in the city – as well as thousands of visitors over the coming years. I’m on the edge of my seat, eager to see and hear how Bradford’s journey of amazing creativity will unfold.

Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said:

I am delighted to announce that we are supporting Bradford with £4.95million National Lottery funding. It will shine a light on the city’s fascinating heritage when it takes its City of Culture crown in 2025.

Thanks to National Lottery players, we’ve enabled past City of Culture award holders to showcase the history and heritage of their cities.  We have seen first-hand the transformational effects that an exciting heritage programme can bring, creating a deeper sense of place, pride and identity.  We look forward to our funding opening up heritage for all those who live, work and visit Bradford, to celebrate and enjoy.

Dan Bates and Shanaz Gulzar, Executive Director and Creative Director at Bradford 2025, said:

There’s less than 18 months before we begin our year as the City of Culture 2025, and we welcome the funding announced today by the Minister. As momentum starts to build, funding support is essential for us in delivering against our ambitions and creating an unforgettable year that Bradford needs and deserves.

Over the coming months, thanks to the funding announced today, we’ll be able to progress key projects that will enable us to provide the opportunity for everyone in the district to engage in Bradford 2025 in some way – whether that is by attending an event, participating in a workshop, creating a performance or volunteering.

Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe, Leader of Bradford Metropolitan District Council said:

The funding announced today by DCMS, National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England is welcome good news. It’s further evidence of the willingness to invest not just in a global Bradford and in the cultural and physical regeneration of our city, but in the young people who will help shape its future.

Now is our time, time for Bradford to shine and become a beacon for what’s great about Yorkshire, and about the North.  We will also be the largest, most ambitious and the first district wide City of Culture bid ever so we also remain optimistic that we will see more funding of this sort from Government in the near future to help us fully realise the opportunity that being the UK City of Culture in 2025 brings.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of UK City of Culture, with the first host being Derry-Londonderry in 2013, followed by Hull in 2017 and Coventry in 2021.

The title has a proven track record of opening up access to culture and creativity and delivering culture-led regeneration, with 81% of Derry-Londonderry residents attending a UK City of Culture event in 2013.

In Hull, nine in ten residents attended or took part in UK City of Culture related activity. Government funding helped facilitate wider inward investment from the private sector and other partners worth £676 million. Similarly, Coventry received £172.6 million in inward investment which facilitated wider regeneration activity of over £500 million.