The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has confirmed a £1.5bn capital investment into the arts, cultural and heritage sectors between 2025 and 2030.
The funding will be directed towards areas and organisations that have been underfunded over the past decade with more than £100 million of the £1.5 billion funding being allocated to local museums.
£760 million will be invested into museums:
- £600 million infrastructure funding which will support national museums and DCMS supported cultural organisations. Will address critical maintenance and works to the estates.
- £160 million investment into local and regional museums. The Museum Estates and Development Fund will help tckle backlog and a new Museum Transformation programme will support organisations to move towards more sustainable business models.
A further £230 million is allocated to the protection and preservation of heritage buildings:
- £75 million for at risk heritage aiming to provide grants towards repairs and conservation of historic buildings.
- £46 million for the Heritage Revival Fund to help communities to take control of and look after local heritage and bring buildings back into public use.
- A £92 million fund called the Places of Worship Renewal Fund to replace the £23 million Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme
Icon’s policy team will be sharing how this will impact the conservation profession in the next few weeks.