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<p>Arts Council England, which distributes public funding at arm’s length from His
Majesty’s Government, is committed to supporting arts and culture across the whole
country. Over the next three years, Arts Council England will distribute over £380
million in funding to 282 organisations across the North of England. This follows
the request by HM Government to ensure that funding is spread more equitably across
England. As a result, 78 organisations based in the North of England are new to the
portfolio, including the Liverpool Lighthouse, Bradford Museums and Galleries, Company
of Others dance ensemble in Newcastle, and Utopia Theatre in Sheffield.</p><p>Cities
across the North of England will therefore receive increased investment. For instance,
11 organisations in Sheffield will receive a share of £11 million over three years.
This increase in funding is also reflected across South Yorkshire, which will receive
an additional £1.8 million per year, totalling £21.2 million over the three years
2023–26.</p><p>This shift meets the ambitious targets more fairly to distribute funding
for culture to support levelling up objectives by increasing funding to areas outside
London, and increasing Arts Council England funding to 109 places identified by the
Arts Council and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport as Levelling
Up for Culture places (LUCPs). These Levelling Up Culture Places – which include cities
in the North of England like Doncaster, Preston and Sunderland – will see investment
almost double (a 95% increase). I would also like to draw the Hon. Member to the <a
href="https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2022-11-07/hcws357"
target="_blank">Written Ministerial Statement</a> from the Secretary of State on 7
November 2023 which provides further information and which may be of interest.</p><p>
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