Tag: Department for Culture and Media

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. 

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

A temporary export bar has been placed on the historically significant archive of James Stirling.

• The archive catalogues revolutionary practices at James Stirling’s Scots Mining Company that ushered in a new era of better conditions for workers 
• The export bar will allow time for a UK archive or institution to acquire the collection for the nation

An export bar has been placed on an archive relating to James Stirling’s radical management of the Leadhills mines to allow time for a UK buyer to be found.

The archive charts the development of one of the most extraordinary operations of the Industrial Revolution. In 1736 James Stirling took over a struggling mining business in South Lanarkshire, where miners lived and worked in poverty. Stirling created a programme to radically improve the living conditions of workers as well as their productivity. His success became a blueprint for future socially-minded industrialists like George Cadbury. 

The large collection includes 51 bundles of letters between the Scots Mining Company, James Stirling and later company managers, as well as a 1738 book of orders relating to the direction of the company. One of James Stirling’s copy books from 1736-37 is included, featuring his own mathematical notations. Further documents include a catalogue of the Leadhills Miners’ Library from 1800 and a folder of twentieth century research papers relating to Stirling’s role at Leadhills mine.

James Stirling was born into the Scottish landed aristocracy in 1692, during the reign of King William III and Queen Mary II. He was a talented mathematician, but his family’s support for the Jacobite rivals to the English monarchy blocked his academic ambitions. Instead he became a mathematics teacher in London, ultimately meeting and befriending some of the greatest enlightenment thinkers of the day. By 1726, Isaac Newton proposed him for membership of the Royal Society.

The radical changes James Stirling brought to the Leadhills mines site began with cuts to working hours from 72 to 40 per week and the introduction of team leaders, who would negotiate with managers over the pay for each task, thus giving workers more ownership and incentivisation for their labour. Families were supported to build their own cottages, with patches set aside for crops or livestock. A social insurance scheme for the sick and elderly was established, along with a school, church and library – which remains the oldest subscription library in the UK today.

Culture Minister, Baroness Twycross said:

In the eighteenth century it was radical to believe that better conditions would improve the productivity of workers. James Stirling’s reforms were a step towards the progression of workers’ rights and modern social security.

As key historical sources of Britain’s industrial and social history, it’s important that these documents remain available for research. It is excellent that James Stirling’s model village survives at Leadhills and I hope this archive can remain accessible to the public too.

Committee member, Caroline Shenton said: 

James Stirling was an extraordinary 18th century employer, creating for his mineworkers at Leadhills one of the first, if not the first, model industrial settlement in Great Britain. The archive of letters he left behind describing his methods and progressive approach at Leadhills in the best traditions of the Scottish Enlightenment is hugely significant and endlessly fascinating. It would be a great tragedy if they were to leave the country, and so I very much hope that a suitable home can be found for them in a UK public institution.

This is the sixth temporary export bar issued since the start of the year by the Government. It follows attempts to protect a bust of John Gordon of Invergordon; Claude Lorrain’s Landscape with Rural Dance; Shock Dog by Anne Seymour Damer; a sculpture of two putti by Michael Rysbrack; and Howard Hodgkin’s Mrs Acton in Delhi.

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

The Committee made its recommendation on the basis that the archive met the first and third Waverley criteria for its outstanding connection with our history and national life and its outstanding significance to the study of local, regional, and pioneering social and industrial history of Scotland.

The decision on the export licence application for the archive will be deferred for a period ending on 19 June 2026 inclusive. 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 archive at the recommended price of £24,928 (inclusive of VAT of £988 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 three months.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 9 March 2026.

Powers are in addition to an imminent consultation that will road-test plans to ban leaders who use their positions to promote violence or hatred.

The Government has announced plans to strengthen the Charity Commission’s powers to close down charities that promote extremism and protect the vast majority of the sector delivering positive work. 

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has asked officials to work with the regulator to speed up the process for investigating charities suspected of engaging in extremist behaviour, including strengthening its powers to close them down if needed. This includes processing decisions more quickly and reviewing the appeals process.  

Further measures under consideration include mandatory trustee ID verification, the digitisation of charity accounts, and a strengthening of local authority powers to issue fines and take other enforcement action to tackle unlicensed street fundraising. 

The measures are in addition to a new consultation launching shortly, which will road-test plans to automatically ban individuals with a criminal conviction for hate crime from serving as charity trustees or senior managers. It will also consult on plans to strengthen the Commission’s powers to disqualify individuals where there is evidence they have promoted violence or hatred. 

This work forms part of wider government plans – which will be announced later today – to actively renew the UK’s social contract by promoting national pride, establishing clearer expectations around integration, and taking action to bring communities together. 

Since October 2023, the Charity Commission has opened over 400 regulatory cases for hate speech, and made around 70 referrals to police where criminal offences may have been committed. 

The government recognises that robust action is necessary to ensure that those with extremist agendas cannot exploit charitable status and undermine public trust in the sector. 

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said:

Charities are the lifeblood of our communities, and we will not allow extremists to hijack their good name. 

By giving the Charity Commission the teeth it needs to act fast and decisively, we will close the door on those who exploit charitable status to spread hate, and open a new chapter that gives the sector the protection it deserves.

This is a vital step in our ongoing work of national renewal and a Britain built for all.

These measures build on the Civil Society Covenant launched last summer, which is harnessing the collective power that charities play in bringing communities together and supporting Britain’s most vulnerable people. 

ENDS

• The Charity Commission regulate charities in England and Wales, to ensure that the public can support charities with confidence.
• Today, the Government will set out an initial plan to improve social cohesion, recognising how social cohesion in the UK has come under strain from widespread challenges like economic insecurity, foreign interference, migration pressures and extremism. It will set out plans to actively renew the UK’s social contract by promoting national pride, establishing clearer expectations around integration, and taking action to bring communities together.

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

The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has appointed 7 new Trustees to the National Museums Liverpool Board, for 4 years terms.

Peter Duffy

Appointed from 19 January 2026 to 18 January 2030.

Peter is CEO of the FTSE 250 listed Mony Group PLC which operates under three consumer brands in the UK – MoneySuperMarket, MoneySavingExpert and Quidco.  He has extensive experience of digital businesses as well as banks, airlines, automotive and consumer delivery.  Previously, Peter was global CEO of Just Eat, CCO at easyJet, Marketing Director at Audi UK & Group Marketing Services Director at Barclays.  He has also served as a non-executive director of the merchant banking group Close Brothers and was President of the ISBA.

Lord John Grantchester

Appointed from 19 January 2026 to 18 January 2030.

Lord Grantchester has held various prominent roles throughout his career, including serving as a member of the House of Lords since 1995. His non-executive experience has involved serving as an NED with Littlewoods in the 1990s  and a number of roles in farming and rural economy. He was Director of Dairy Farmers of Britain from 2003-2008 and Director of Everton Football Club Company Ltd from 1994 to 2000. He has also served on the council of the Liverpool County FA.

Sue Harris

Appointed from 19 January 2026 to 18 January 2030.

After graduating with a degree in Natural Sciences from Cambridge University, Sue embarked on a career in accountancy, qualifying as a Chartered Accountant with Ernst & Young in Liverpool where she specialised in audit in the financial services sector. Following a move to RSM, Sue’s involvement in the charity and not-for-profit sectors began. During her career Sue has worked with national charities such as the Royal Horticultural Society and with local non departmental public bodies such as the Northwest Development Agency, advising on financial control, governance and risk management. 

She is currently an audit partner with Champion Accountants, based in their Chester office, where her work with local charities continues. Sue is also a trustee and treasurer of Chester Civic Trust whose purpose is to preserve and enhance Chester’s architectural and cultural heritage and to foster civic pride and public interest. She is a great lover of art, taking every opportunity to visit art galleries and museums across the UK and Europe, and is passionate about the importance of cultural heritage to our human identity and of being part of the team at NML working to protect and preserve that heritage for future generations.

Nigel Lowe

Appointed from 19 January 2026 to 18 January 2030.

Nigel Lowe was born and raised on Merseyside and has maintained a lifelong connection to the region’s industrial, cultural and maritime heritage. He went on to study at the University of Liverpool, graduating with an engineering degree that laid the foundation for a career spanning several decades. A Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institute of Engineering Technology, Nigel built his professional life across a range of technically demanding sectors, including manufacturing, pharmaceuticals and the nuclear industry.

His work took him throughout the United Kingdom and overseas, giving him experience of complex operational environments and the opportunity to collaborate with multidisciplinary teams. He worked in senior engineering and programme management roles where experience in highly regulated environments has given him a deep understanding of governance, risk management and organisational accountability.

Now retired, Nigel remains active in the community. He is a keen gardener and DIY enthusiast. He is committed to supporting institutions that preserve the region’s history, broaden access to culture and inspire future generations. Nigel brings to the museum sector a long‑standing interest in Merseyside’s industrial and scientific heritage, together with a clear commitment to supporting institutions that preserve and interpret the region’s history for diverse audiences.

Michelle Cox

Appointed from 1 May 2026 to 30 April 2030.

Michelle Cox MBE is a registered nurse with extensive experience across the UK health system and a strong track record in advancing equality, diversity and inclusion. She is a Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing and a Fellow of the Queen’s Nursing Institute, reflecting her contribution to professional leadership, community nursing, and service improvement.

Kathryn Luke

Appointed from 1 May 2026 to 30 April 2030.

Kathryn graduated Nottingham Trent University in 2004 with a BA Hons degree in Business Studies specialising in Marketing. Following university, she worked in marketing for commercial radio stations before moving into destination and events marketing. Relocating to Liverpool to work for Liverpool Culture Company to promote Liverpool leading up to and during its European Capital of Culture year in 2008.

Following the conclusion of the Capital of Culture year Kathryn returned to her native North East England to take up a position as Brand Manager for the Regional Development Agency, One North East, to promote North East England as a tourism destination, alongside key commercial travel partners, in key international markets.

However, having fallen in love with Liverpool she took the opportunity to return to the city to work for one of the UK’s largest Pureplay Online Retailers, Very. Kathryn has worked in online retail since 2011, spending 10 years at Very followed by 3 years at SimplyBe. Kathryn is a customer focused Ecommerce leader, supporting digital transformation and leading teams to deliver commercial revenue targets and is currently Director of Ecommerce Trading at Liverpool Football Club.

Clare Milsom

Appointed from 1 May 2026 to 30 April 2030.

Professor Clare Milsom is a senior higher education leader and academic palaeontologist with extensive experience in governance, institutional transformation, and strategic leadership. As Registrar and Chief Operating Officer at Liverpool John Moores University, she has led major initiatives including the Estates Masterplan and the creation of a digital architecture delivering class-leading technology solutions across virtual and physical campuses. Her leadership has strengthened operational efficiency, enhanced the student experience, and advanced the university’s strategic growth and reputation. 

Alongside her leadership roles, Clare has over two decades of academic experience in palaeontology, with research spanning palaeobiology, taphonomy, and macroevolution. She has published extensively, including internationally recognised books such as Fossils at a Glance and multiple edited volumes on higher education policy. Awarded a National Teaching Fellowship and a Professorship of Academic Practice, she contributes widely to sector development through board memberships and collaborations in research, education, and governance.

Remuneration and Governance Code

Trustees of National Museums Liverpool are not remunerated. 

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. 

Lord Grantchester is a member of the House of Lords and has previously held Shadow Parliamentary roles for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, International Trade, and Environment, Food and Rural affairs.

Michelle Cox, Peter Duffy, Kathryn Luke, Nigel Lowe, Clare Milsom and Sue Harris have declared no political activity.

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

Review will examine digital shifts, market trends and emerging technologies including use of AI.

• Government is committed to helping UK radio to thrive and retain status as most trusted form of media, amid changing listener habits
• Nearly 75% of UK radio listening now happens on digital or online platforms, and the government will work with key industry partners to help manage this transition

Radio listeners across the UK stand to benefit as the government launches a review of the UK’s radio industry to ensure it continues to flourish as audiences increasingly shift to digital platforms.

Radio remains the most trusted form of media in the UK, with more than 85% of UK adults tuning in every week. From national and international headlines to crucial local updates, radio stations provide timely, reliable content that reflects the diverse fabric of the UK’s communities. They offer companionship and social connection to millions of people. 

However, the way people listen is rapidly changing. Almost 75% of UK radio listening now takes place on digital or online platforms, rather than FM and AM. To help the industry navigate this shift, the government will work with key partners, including the BBC and commercial radio, to examine changes in listener behaviour and audio markets in recent years, and make recommendations on the future distribution of radio services.

The review will consider:

• Whether there should be a managed transition away from FM in the 2030s and, if so, over what timescale;
• The potential impact of a decision on the future of Digital Terrestrial TV (DTT) on radio distribution;
• The role of emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), and the benefits and challenges they pose to the industry.

A previous Radio and Audio Review in 2021 concluded that FM should continue until at least 2030, but recommended that in 2026 government and industry revisit a potential analogue switch-off. There has been broad support across the industry for this further review.

The launch of this new review coincides with World Radio Day tomorrow (13 February), which this year focuses on ‘Radio and AI’, and how the technology could offer more personalised listener experiences and support fact-checking.

Media Minister Ian Murray said:

In the midst of the media revolution, radio remains a powerful and popular medium that holds a special place in people’s lives. It provides company for the isolated, entertainment to millions of people on their daily commute, and helps circulate vital news and information across the country.

However, we also know that listening habits are changing as even more people access radio via digital and online platforms, whether at home or in the car. The use of AI as a tool is only going to keep increasing in the coming years and this will impact how radio is made and consumed.

That is why it is so important that we carry out this review. We need to make sure that the UK radio industry has the right support to thrive long into the future.

Radiocentre’s CEO Matt Payton said:

Radio remains extremely popular, yet listening habits continue to change driven by new technology and innovation. Whether audiences are listening on smart speakers, a radio set or in a connected car, it’s vital to ensure that distribution and access to radio is secure for the future. We look forward to working together with government and industry to address this challenge.

The BBC’s Director of BBC Sounds Jonathan Wall said: 

We all have a common objective to secure and protect the future of radio for our listeners and welcome the opportunity to work together with our colleagues in commercial radio and across the industry during the Radio Review.

Notes to Editors

• The review’s Terms of Reference are to:

1. Investigate future scenarios for the consumption of UK radio and audio content on all platforms into the 2030s, taking into account likely models of future listener behaviour, market trends, and technical developments. 
2. Consider the impact of these scenarios on current and future distribution strategies for the UK radio industry and on the future availability of UK radio services for listeners on all platforms. 
3. Make recommendations – based as far as possible on a cross-industry consensus – on the future distribution of radio services and provide advice to government on ways of strengthening the long-term viability of UK radio until the early 2040s.

• The Radio Review will conclude in autumn 2026 with a report to the government.
• This report will inform further policy development and the latter stages of the ongoing BBC Charter Review.
• The most recent Rajar figures published on 5 February 2026 reported that 74.6% of all UK radio listening was via a digital platform.
• The Steering Board for the 2026 Radio Review will be confirmed in due course.
• This follows the recent uplift to the Community Radio Fund, which DCMS has increased to over £1 million to support nearly 50 radio stations across the UK, as announced by Ofcom on Tuesday.

The press release issued by the Department of Culture and Media on 6 February 2026.

A temporary export bar has been placed on Michael Rysbrack’s sculpture of two ‘putti’ supporting an architrave.

• Valued at £750,000, the sculpture is recognised to be of outstanding artistic quality
• Export bar is to allow time for a UK gallery or institution to acquire the sculpture for the nation

An export bar has been placed on Michael Rysbrack’s sculpture of two ‘putti’ supporting a column to allow time for a UK buyer to be found.

The sculpture was crafted to be one of a pair of chimney pieces, possibly for the grand Bedford House in London. Standing over a metre tall, the sculpture is cut from marble. It has been praised for its excellent quality and condition despite being nearly three hundred years old.

Owning similar sculptures was very popular amongst the British aristocracy during the eighteenth century. Rysbrack’s sculpture is inspired by ancient Greek and Roman art, with ownership of the sculpture symbolising interest and knowledge of the Classical World.

The depiction of the ‘putti’ – childlike figures – is recognised to be of extraordinary artistic quality. At the time of the sculpture’s creation, new research and understanding of childhood development was changing attitudes to children in London society. Rysbrack himself became a governor of London’s Foundling Hospital, which cared for orphaned children.

Michael Rysbrack was born and trained in Antwerp, but is best known for his career in England. He was inspired by Classical art for many of the sculptures he created, including those he crafted for Westminster Abbey. 

Culture Minister Baroness Twycross said:

The incredible detail on this marble sculpture of two childlike figures demonstrates a remarkable mastery of the craft. The quality of the putti is a clear testament to why Michael Rysbrack’s sculptures were so highly sought after in the eighteenth century.

Today, we continue to appreciate world class art such as this. I hope that this export bar can help secure this sculpture for the public to enjoy.

Committee Member, Stuart Lochead said:

Likely designed for Bedford House, London, this set of putti originally formed part of a monumental fireplace. Despite its scale, the carving is notably delicate: the flesh and hair of the two figures are rendered with remarkable tenderness. The use of infant imagery marks a pivotal moment in Rysbrack’s career. Having recently been elected Governor of the Foundling Hospital in London, alongside William Hogarth, the sculptor’s work reflects on the changing attitudes toward childhood in early eighteenth-century Britain. Displayed in one of London’s most important houses, this refined marble group would represent a significant loss if exported.

This is the fourth temporary export bar issued since the start of the year by this Government. It follows attempts to protect an 18th century bust of John Gordon of Invergordon, a £9 million Baroque painting by Claude Lorrain, and an 18th century terracotta dog sculpture by groundbreaking female sculptor, Anne Damer.

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

The Committee made its recommendation on the basis that the sculpture met the second and third Waverley criteria for its outstanding aesthetic importance and its outstanding significance to the study of the work of Rysbrack; sculpture in the 18th century in architectural and social history; and the representation of children in portraiture.

The decision on the export licence application for the sculpture will be deferred for a period ending on 5 May 2026 inclusive. 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 sculpture at the recommended price of £750,000 (plus VAT of £150,000 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.

Notes to editors

1. Organisations or individuals interested in purchasing the sculpture should contact the RCEWA on 02072680534 or rcewa@artscouncil.org.uk.
2. Details of the ITEM are as follows: Michael Rysbrack, Antwerp, 1694 – London, 1770. Two putti supporting an architrave, c.1735-7. Marble, 131.3 cm high 131 cm wide
3. Provenance: Probably 4th Duke of Bedford, by descent to 5th Duke of Bedford; sold Christie’s, London, the Bedford House sale, 5 May 1800, lot 71, to 11th Duke of Norfolk; by descent to 12th, 13th, 14th, and 15th Dukes of Norfolk; offered for sale by the 15th Duke of Norfolk (Henry Fitzalan-Howard, 1847-1917) at the Arundel Castle sale, Sparks & Son, 14 and 15 April 1891, either lot 289 or lot 299 (‘two figures of boys, in bold relief, supporting richly carved cornice, statuary marble, 4ft 3in high; 3ft wide’ and ‘The companion ditto’); sold Christie’s, London, 1 December 1911, lot 85 (‘TWO PORTIONS OF A CHIMNEY-PIECE, of white marble, each sculpted in high relief with two children supporting a frieze—51 in high, 44 in. wide—Italian, 17th Century’), to Harding for £162-15s [=155 guineas]. Private collection UK before 1960; from whom purchased by the current owner in 1979.
4. 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.

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

The annual cost of a TV licence will rise to £180 from 1 April 2026, as required by the 2022 Licence Fee Settlement, in line with inflation.

• TV licence fee to rise in line with inflation to provide the BBC with stable financial footing to deliver for audiences and support the wider creative industries
• The government continues the Charter Review Green Paper public consultation on options for BBC future funding
• Support for households in severe financial difficulty is available and free licences for over-75s on Pension Credit

The increase follows the methodology of calculating the licence fee in line with the consumer price index (CPI) until the end of the BBC Charter Period.

This means the cost of an annual colour TV licence will rise by £5.50, or the equivalent of an extra 46p a month. 

The increase in the cost of the TV licence will help keep the BBC on a stable financial footing, enabling it to continue to deliver on its Mission and Public Purposes. The BBC is the UK’s number one media brand, with 94% of UK adults using the BBC each month last year and it remains the UK’s most widely used and trusted news outlet.

The government recognises the financial pressures on households and is committed to ensuring the BBC’s funding model is sustainable, fair and affordable. The government has committed to the licence fee for the remainder of this Charter Period. To support the public with the cost of the TV licence, we will also continue to support the Simple Payment Plan to spread payments through smaller instalments. Free licences remain available for over-75s on Pension Credit, with reduced fees for care home residents and blind individuals.

This comes alongside the ongoing Charter Review, which will ensure the BBC is sustainably funded to provide value for licence fee payers, commands the public’s trust with impartial editorial standards and drives growth, opportunity and good jobs across the country.

The BBC has recently announced a series of initiatives with the aim of bringing trusted public service content to more young people and families where they are. This includes a new content partnership with YouTube, with a CBeebies Parenting YouTube channel launching later this year, as well as six themed channels featuring content from CBBC shows. The BBC is also partnering with the British Library to provide storytelling for pre-schoolers and their parents at library events across the UK.

S4C, which receives all its public funding from the licence fee, will also see its revenue increase proportionately, receiving approximately £100 million in 2026/27 to support the growth of the Welsh creative industries. 

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 27 January 2026.

Nearly 1000 community projects across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland benefitting from new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities.

• Boost will improve accessibility and sustainability, through multisport, all-weather pitches, goalposts, floodlights and community hubs – with 50% going to 30% most deprived communities in the UK
• Move supports drive to break down barriers to opportunity, give families affordable ways to stay healthy, and deliver an NHS fit for the future 
• Applications for £85 million of funding to be distributed in 2026/27 across the UK to open

Nearly 1000 community projects across the UK are benefitting from new all-weather pitches, extended playing hours through floodlighting, and modern changing facilities designed to welcome underserved groups like women and girls, in a new boost for grassroots sport facilities by the Government. 

991 projects across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have been awarded funding through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme in 2025/26, with more beneficiaries to be announced soon. 

These new or refurbished facilities will give families low-cost options to stay active on their doorstep, helping when many are facing cost-of-living pressures. It will also open up opportunities to underserved groups like women and girls. At least half of all funding will go directly to the 30% most deprived communities in the UK. 

Sports clubs and organisations will also benefit from new goalposts, fencing and new changing pavilions – all of which help make sites more accessible and sustainable for local communities. To ensure broader participation beyond football, at least 40% of funded projects must have a multi-sport offer. This approach will give more people access to a wider variety of sports and activities, such as rugby, cricket, and basketball.

Full details of all the 991 projects funded through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme in 2025/26 at time of writing to date are attached and available on GOV.UK.

Today, the Government has also announced the allocations for the next £85million investment for 2026/27 for grassroots sports facilities, part of a £400 million boost launched by the Government in June 2025.  Applications are now open in England, with Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland to follow.

The announcement was made as Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy visited East Kilbride United Community Sports Club, who received £310,000 across 2024-26 for a new artificial pitch and changing pavilion at Kirktonholme. The upgraded facility now hosts women’s and girls’ teams, school PE lessons, and a walking football programme supporting men’s mental health. 

It follows the Government  launching the ‘Team Up’ campaign yesterday, which has brought some of the UK’s biggest sport stars, sport governing bodies and charities together to tackle male loneliness using the power of sport through a wide range of initiatives across the country. More details are available on the new Team Up website.  

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, said:

This is sport delivering for the nation. Every pound we invest in grassroots facilities is a pound that takes pressure off our NHS, supports mental and physical health, and opens doors for new community members to benefit from sport – like women and girls who’ve been shut out for too long.

We’re supporting communities that have made do with run-down pitches and crumbling changing rooms for years. This government is turning that around – building the facilities that get people active, bring communities together, and nurture the next generation of sporting talent.

Robert Sullivan, Chief Executive of the Football Foundation said: 

High quality sports facilities are vital. This season we’ve been celebrating 25 years of game changing impact in the grassroots game thanks to £1.3bn of funding from our partners the Premier League, The FA and Government since we started work in 2000.

The funding from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, announced today, alongside that of the Premier League and The FA, ensures the Football Foundation can continue to deliver the football and multi-sport facilities that inspire people to play, get healthy and come together.   

Football in England is evolving and we need to ensure the facilities support its growth. Guided by our Local Plans we systematically deliver where need is greatest and impact is strongest, creating inclusive opportunities for generations to come.  

The £68.4m will help us support the growth of the women’s and girls’ game, provide the facilities that grassroots organisations need, back our biggest and best clubs and ensure we know about every pitch and how we can best support them.  

We are excited about the next year, and look forward to working with our funding partners to continue to provide very community with a great place to play.” 

Sport England Chief Executive, Simon Hayes said:

Community sport sits at the heart of our society. It brings people together across the UK, helping them to connect, have fun and live healthier lives. But none of that is possible if there aren’t enough pitches and facilities, designed in the right way and located in the right places. We therefore very much welcome today’s announcement and look forward to working with the Government and our partners to ensure as many people as possible from all over the country have the chance to participate.

Through new local sports facilities or critical upgrades to outdated facilities, the funding will deliver: 

• New 3G grass pitches enabling year-round play regardless of weather
• Upgraded changing pavilions with more appropriate changing facilities for women and girls
• Floodlighting to extend playing hours into evenings and car parking for better accessibility
• New goalposts, fencing and storage facilities to improve safety and access
• Priority use time slots for women and girls teams at funded sites
• Facilities that can host PE and school activities alongside community use
• Sites that support health initiatives and community outreach programmes

The funding is designed to promote health, wellbeing and community cohesion, remove the barriers to physical activity for under-represented groups (such as women and girls, people with disabilities, and ethnic minority communities), and support the Government’s Plan for Change by breaking down barriers to opportunity and delivering an NHS fit for the future.  

Today’s announcement is the latest part of a £400 million boost for grassroots sport facilities announced by the Government in June 2025. £98 million was invested in 2025/26. The 2026/27 investment includes £85million and a recently announced £5 million boost for basketball facilities (matched by £5 million from the NBA). Further details on £10million funding for innovative facilities models is due to be set out in the coming months. 

Following the Lionesses’ defence of their European title last summer, the Government announced plans to more than double the share of primetime slots dedicated to women’s and girls’ teams. This will happen at facilities that have been funded by the Government, Premier League and The FA’s charity the Football Foundation over the next five years, with a clear long-term target of reaching equal access as demand grows.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

2026-27 funding:

Funding breakdown by nation:

• England: £68.35 million (delivered through the Football Foundation)
• Scotland: £8.14 million (delivered through the Scottish Football Association)
• Wales: £5.735 million (delivered through the Cymru Football Foundation)
• Northern Ireland: £2.775 million (delivered through the Irish Football Association)
• Applications can be submitted on an ongoing basis in England via the Football Foundation.
• Application windows will open soon in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, and the relevant FA websites will be updated with more details.

Funding in action for 2025-26: 

Scotland – East Kilbride United Community Sports Club

• East Kilbride United received a grant of £200,000 towards a new artificial grass pitch in 2024/25, followed by a grant of £110,000 towards a new changing pavilion in 2025/26 for their facilities at Kirktonholme. 
• The addition of a changing pavilion has enabled greater use of the facility by women and girls teams. The facility is now used for PE school activities, and the club runs a range of health initiatives and community outreach programmes, including a walking football group supporting men’s mental health.

England – Middlesbrough Football Club Foundation, Ben Scott’s Field

• The project is receiving £990,248 towards the development of a new World Rugby 22 and FIFA Quality 3G pitch, new changing pavilion with office space, social/community room and kitchen, as well as new access and car parking.
• The site offers crucial multi-sport availability, being designed to support rugby, with Guisborough Rugby Club using the site for training as well as hosting the RFU’s T1 Rugby programme, a fun and inclusive, non-contact version of rugby union designed for all ages and abilities.
• The site will also boost access for women and girls, being supported by partner club Skelton United, who would have 13 women and girls teams on site by year five.
• The Middlesbrough Football Club Foundation will also deliver Premier League Kicks and Wildcats provision to support recreational women and girls activity. 
• A key aim of the project is to support under-represented groups with programmes to support Mental Health, Disability through team growth and the North Riding FA Ability Counts League, Warm Space (a cost-of-living programme), Match Fit and Team Talk (linked to public health).

England – Academies Enterprise Trust, Lift Tendring School

• The project is receiving £1,000,000 towards the development of a 3G pitch.
• This project is aimed at improving access for under-represented groups and has a strong women and girls focus, with recreational programmes such as Wildcats and Squad Girls, in addition to the proposed growth of ten new women and girls teams in the next five years. 
• Sessions are also proposed free of charge through Colchester United Community Trust, as well as mental health provision and walking football.
• The new 3G pitch allows football to migrate out of the indoor sports hall providing an opportunity for greater collaboration and usage of other sports such as Pickleball, Badminton, Netball and Basketball which will be possible in the existing indoor space.

Wales – Afan United Project

• The project received £315,360 towards a full size artificial grass pitch upgrade and new changing pavilion.
• It is a multi-sport flagship project, including rugby and rounders activity.
• The site offers a percentage of priority use slots to women and girls.

Northern Ireland – Derry City and Strabane District Council’s Foyle Arena 3G Development project 

• This project received £200,842 towards a full size artificial grass pitch upgrade.
• It is a multi sport flagship project, including Cricket, Rugby, Running, GAA and PE school activity
• Derry City FC Women will use this facility as their home facility

Team Up campaign: 

• The campaign unites sport to tackle male loneliness, promote social connection, and highlight support for men’s mental health. 
• During the week of 26 January – 1 February, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport is working with the Premier League, EFL, Rugby Football Union, England and Wales Cricket Board and Movember on the campaign, using sport’s collective voice to show young men that help is out there and where they can find it.

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

Towns across the country can now apply to become the first UK Town of Culture.

• Applications will be open until 31 March 2026 for Expressions of Interest 
• Competition delivers on the government’s Plan for Change, driving local economic growth and opportunity

The government has taken its latest step in renewing the country by launching the first ever UK Town of Culture competition. 

With 11 weeks to apply, the competition is open to small, medium and large towns, with the winner delivering a vibrant cultural programme. Showcasing towns’ local visions and voices – through new arts venues, performances, workshops and more – this competition brings local investment, creates a lasting sense of pride in towns, and opens doors to the arts for everyone.  

Towns can submit their Expressions of Interest now. Sir Phil Redmond will lead an expert panel, judging towns on the way they’ll tell their unique story, how they’ll bring everyone in a community together, and how towns will deliver on their vision. The strongest bids will progress to a shortlist, with each shortlisted town receiving £60,000 to help deliver their full bids for the competition.

Three finalists – one small, one medium, one large town – will be chosen. The winner will be crowned UK Town of Culture 2028 and receive a £3 million prize. The two runners-up will each receive £250,000 to deliver elements of their bid, from refreshed community infrastructure to electric music festivals.

The deadline for Expressions of Interest for UK Town of Culture 2028 is 31 March 2026, with the shortlist of towns expected to be announced this Spring. 

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: 

There is so much for us to be proud of in the towns we’re from – from the rich, local history to unique festivals and celebrations. They have shaped our national story for decades. Now it’s time they take centre stage and showcase the unique stories they have to tell.  

We have seen the transformative power of culture through the UK City of Culture competition. I want to make sure that towns have the same opportunity to make a real difference to their local community and show the world exactly why their town is so special.

This competition, announced by the Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy in October 2025, provides a platform for communities across the country to tell their own unique story and shines a spotlight on the vital role towns play in our national life. 

From Torquay to Thurso and Brecon to Ballycastle, Britain is interlinked by a rich network of towns, each with their own history and identity.

This is part of the Prime Minister’s ambition to restore pride in every part of Britain as he serves the whole of the country. 

British towns are brimming with community spirit – we’re providing the opportunity to bring it to life. Increasing pride in local areas also encourages them to get out and about to museums, galleries and live performances, which also means more money spent supporting local businesses and jobs.

UK Town of Culture Chair, Sir Phil Redmond said: 

I am delighted to have been asked to Chair the new Town of Culture competition, as in the past it has been hard to adequately demonstrate the depth, breadth and diversity of the UK’s cultural landscape through the UK City of Culture’s urban lens. 

The two competitions will complement each other while providing more opportunities for more places to both demonstrate and celebrate that creativity is not confined to the great urban concert halls, theatres or galleries. It is in everything we do together. In every town, village, neighbourhood, street or road. 

UK Town of Culture asks what makes your town special? What makes its people proud to be there? And why should that be celebrated?

This follows the government in November 2025 launching its Pride in Place Programme, providing up to £10 billion to support 244 towns across the country whose communities have been let down by decline and systematic under-investment. Under this scheme, communities will be able to spend the funding on what matters most to them – from improvements to pavements and high streets to investing in culture and green spaces.

Building on proven success

The UK Town of Culture competition builds on the success of UK City of Culture, which has delivered transformative benefits for its four winners. Bradford, last year’s title holder, is projected to benefit from £389 million in growth across the district, with city centre footfall up 25% during its year in the spotlight. Early estimates show audiences for its City of Culture programme exceeded 3 million, with 80% of local residents surveyed saying it improved their wellbeing and made them feel proud of where they live. 

The UK City of Culture competition has proven that culture and investment work hand in hand, delivering community renewal that revitalises everything from high streets to job opportunities.

The search for UK City of Culture 2029 is already underway for Expressions of Interest from cities, larger towns, regions and groups of places. The winning place for UK City of Culture 2029 will be awarded £10 million.