Ben Everitt, the MP for Milton Keynes North, has shared his delight after MK Gallery and MK Arts Centre received funding from the Conservative Government as part of its plans to help level up arts and culture across the country.
MK Gallery has been provided with £390,360 and MK Arts Centre will receive £99,803 – providing a long-term investment in our country’s talent and supporting the next generation of creators, performers and artists.
By targeting the Arts Council’s Levelling Up places, 78 designated towns and cities from Stoke to Slough and Gloucester to Wigan will receive £130 million of funding over the next three years. This is a 95 per cent increase in investment in these areas and will support new organisations, making sure that communities across the county benefit from investment in culture and the jobs which it brings.
The Conservative Government is supporting our world-class, established organisations that have done so much to build England’s reputation as one of the most creative countries in the world. It is also supporting 276 new organisations, reaching new audiences and increasing opportunity for people of all backgrounds.
This investment in arts and culture will pay dividends across England, boosting our country’s economic growth, creating jobs in local areas, and bringing communities closer together.
Ben Everitt, the MP for Milton Keynes North: said “I am focused on making sure that more people in more places can enjoy arts and culture on their doorstep and I will continue working with the Conservative Government to provide local organisations with the funding and support they need.
“The £490,163 being delivered by the Conservative Government will pay dividends across Milton Keynes North, boosting our local economy, creating jobs in the area, and bringing our communities closer together.
“We are widening access to arts and culture, so that everyone can enjoy the fantastic arts and culture on offer here in our community and the benefits that investment brings.”
Michelle Donelan, the Culture Secretary, commented: “Thanks to this new government funding package, spreading more money to more communities than ever before, people living in areas from Wolverhampton to Wigan and Crawley to Chesterfield will now get to benefit from the deep economic and social rewards culture can bring.
“We continue to support our icons such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Royal Shakespeare Company, but today's announcement will see organisations in places all too often overlooked get the support they need to transform access to the arts for everyone – no matter where they live.”