UK Unveils 'Arts Everywhere' Fund to Revitalize Crumbling Cultural Infrastructure

Lisa Nandy, Britain's Secretary for Culture, Media and Sport, announces a GBP 270 million investment to revive the arts sector, struggling post-pandemic. The 'Arts Everywhere' Fund aims to make arts accessible to all. The plan includes GBP 85 million directed towards a 'Creative Foundations Fund' for targeted support.

Britain's Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy, has announced a new GBP 270 million initiative to breathe life back into the UK's struggling arts and culture sector. The 'Arts Everywhere' Fund is aimed at rebuilding the nation's declining arts infrastructure, which has suffered significantly during the COVID pandemic.

Speaking at Shakespeare's birthplace in Stratford-Upon-Avon, Nandy emphasized the importance of making the arts accessible to everyone, citing British Indian filmmaker Gurinder Chadha's film 'Bend Like Beckham' as an example of the cultural impact arts can have. The investment includes GBP 85 million towards a 'Creative Foundations Fund' through the Arts Council, ensuring that art is perceived not as a luxury but as a necessity.

At the Jennie Lee Lecture, held in honor of Britain's first arts minister, Nandy reiterated her dedication to revitalizing cultural venues across the country, saying, "This fund is a tribute to Jennie Lee's vision and a testament to our belief in the arts." The event was attended by over 100 arts industry leaders, who stressed on the need for improved infrastructure to enhance the sector's global economic and social contributions.

(With inputs from agencies.)