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Major arts organisations across Manchester and Greater Manchester have welcomed a £1.5 billion government funding package, described as a vital lifeline for cultural institutions facing rising costs, ageing buildings and more than a decade of underinvestment.
The five-year capital funding programme, announced by Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, aims to save more than 1,000 cultural venues across England, including theatres, museums, libraries and heritage buildings, many of which play a central role in communities across the city-region.
The Arts Everywhere Fund
The gorgeous Imperial War Museum
Among the organisations set to benefit is Imperial War Museum North in Salford, which is eligible for funding through the £600 million museums infrastructure programme supporting DCMS-sponsored national museums.
Manchester’s growing role as a national cultural hub is also reflected in the inclusion of English National Opera, now based in the city, alongside long-standing northern institutions such as Opera North and the Royal Exchange Theatre.
Jenny Mollica, Chief Executive of English National Opera and the London Coliseum, said the investment would provide much-needed stability for organisations now operating from Manchester: “We welcome this clear commitment to arts organisations across the country, which recognises the vital role they play in our communities.
“The investment would provide much-needed stability for organisations”
“This investment will make a real difference to the stability and sustainability of the sector, giving organisations like English National Opera the confidence to plan ambitiously, nurture artists and ensure that the arts remain accessible to the widest possible audiences, both now and into the future.”
Opera North, whose work regularly reaches audiences across Greater Manchester, said the funding would help address mounting financial pressures across the touring sector.
A scene from The Magic Flute by Mozart. ©Tristram Kenton
Laura Canning, CEO of Opera North, said: “We are very grateful to DCMS and Arts Council England for increasing NPO funding in this way. This gives us a new baseline going forward which will enable us to start addressing the reduction in real-term salaries, which has become a growing problem since the pandemic.
In addition, the capital fund represents a lifeline for our many touring venues, NPO or no, whose survival is vital in ensuring widespread access to high-quality performing arts across the country.”
She warned, however, that challenges remain: “With a 6.7% increase in the national living wage, together with the sharp rise in travel, accommodation and touring costs, many serious challenges remain.”
In Manchester city centre, the Royal Exchange Theatre said the announcement recognised the fundamental role cultural buildings play in the region’s social and economic life.
Who will be receiving Arts Everywhere funding?
The Royal Exchange Theatre
Selina Cartmell and Sheena Wrigley, Co-CEOs of Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, said: “The Royal Exchange welcomes this significant uplift in investment, and the recognition that arts and cultural buildings are essential to the social and economic vitality of our cities and communities.
“These spaces play a critical role in nurturing the next generation of creative talent, sustaining artistic practice, supporting the Manchester and UK-wide cultural industry, and bringing people together in shared cultural experiences.”
“As the theatre marks its 50th anniversary, they said sustained capital investment is critical to its future: “Continued investment is vital if we are to maintain this impact.
“As we celebrate our 50th anniversary year, The Royal Exchange remains committed to delivering extraordinary work that delights and challenges audiences and draws thousands into our remarkable building; however, deteriorating infrastructure and ageing equipment place increasing pressure on our ability to do so.”
“Without sustained support, these challenges threaten not only our ongoing success, but the long-term future of this important cultural asset.”
What the funding means for Greater Manchester
The £1.5bn package will be delivered between 2025 and 2030 and includes:
- £760 million for museums, including national institutions such as the Imperial War Museum North
- £425 million Creative Foundations Fund for capital projects in arts venues, potentially benefiting theatres and performance spaces across Greater Manchester
- £27.5 million Libraries Improvement Fund, supporting upgrades to local library buildings
- A 5% uplift in Arts Council England funding for National Portfolio Organisations from 2026/27
Ministers say funding will be targeted at areas that have historically missed out, with culture positioned as a driver of local regeneration, jobs and pride in place.
How big is Manchester’s cultural sector?
The cultural sector supports around 700,000 jobs nationally, with Greater Manchester one of the UK’s largest creative economies.
Full details of how organisations can apply for funding are expected to be published by DCMS in the coming months.
You can find out more about Arts Everywhere funding by clicking here
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