The Government and Arts Council England have announced a new capital grants fund for not-for-profit creative and cultural organisations in England to improve existing cultural buildings and equipment, including urgent work which prevents organisations from effectively delivering work for the public.
The £85 million Creative Foundations Fund, which offers grants of between £100,000 and £10 million, will open for expressions of interest on 30 June 2025.
The funding is intended to support not-for-profit creative and cultural organisations in England in revitalising, restoring, retrofitting, or renewing cultural assets, including urgent work to address issues which prevent organisations from effectively delivering work for the public.
The grants will support:
- Upgrading or replacing portable equipment or vehicles.
- Building work to existing cultural buildings.
- Replacing essential building services.
- Addressing equality and accessibility issues to provide independent access for disabled people and welcome users with diverse needs.
- Other associated project costs.
Partnership (match) funding is required. Note that 100% of the required partnership funding must have been secured before the project can start. Projects may start from 1 April 2026 and end by 31 March 2029.
Applications will be accepted from a range of not-for-profit cultural organisations in England who have presented or delivered cultural activity in the last 12 months.
Accredited and non-accredited museums (national and non-national) and libraries may not apply for this funding.
Full guidance, including eligibility criteria and details of how to apply, have been published on Arts Council England's website in advance of the Fund opening.
All organisations must create a user account and applicant profile on Arts Council England's Grantium system. It can take up to 10 working days for a new user account to be approved so this should be done as soon as possible.
Expressions of interest open at noon on 30 June and close at noon on 25 July 2025.
Creative Foundations Fund: Guidance for applicants | Arts Council England
Share this page
