21 Jan 2019
UK culture gets £20m investment
BY Andy Knaggs
Local culture, heritage and creative industries in five parts of the UK are set to benefit from a share of £20m (US$25.77m, €22.65m), with funding awarded by the UK Government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
The money is being distributed through the Cultural Development Fund (CDF), announced last year in the Creative Industries Sector Deal. It aims to increase access to the arts, heritage and the creative industries while also boosting local economies by attracting more visitors and supporting the growth of new businesses.
Grimsby, Thames Estuary, Plymouth, Wakefield and Worcester will all receive millions of pounds to strengthen the local arts sector, increase cultural access, and provide greater opportunity for people to forge creative careers. The total funding is expected to create more than 1,300 new jobs, benefit 2,000 people through skills training and support more than 700 businesses. Through match-funding, an additional £17.5m (US$22.55m, €19.82m) will be invested across the five locations.
Among the specific attractions to benefit are the Yorkshire Sculpture Park (Wakefield), international events and public art in Grimsby town centre, immersive and digital technologies within the cultural programme to mark the 400th anniversary of the pioneering voyage of the Mayflower (Plymouth), development of a creative cluster in the Thames Estuary, and a festivals programme for Worcester.
The CDF was launched off the back of the success of Hull as a UK City of Culture in 2017, which provided evidence of how targeted investment in culture can deliver a significant local economic boost.
“The CDF will support tailored local plans that use culture to create jobs, boost tourism and ultimately regenerate communities," said Jeremy Wright Culture Secretary for the UK, said: This is an incredible opportunity that will not only help people build careers in the arts and culture locally, but also boost wider investment and diversify the creative economy.”
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