The UK government has announced a £1.5 billion arts funding package to be delivered between 2025 and 2030, describing it as a long-overdue correction after years of underinvestment. The plan includes £600 million for national museums and DCMS-backed organisations, alongside £160 million earmarked for regional and local museums — a move that has sparked both optimism and scepticism across the cultural sector.
With Brighton & Hove home to one of the UK’s most active creative scenes — spanning Brighton arts and culture, independent galleries, live venues and festivals — the real question is whether this funding will reach the people and places that need it most.
We asked three arts and culture experts to weigh in.
Wider support is needed — not just flagship institutions
Adam Behr, Reader in Music, Politics and Society at Newcastle University, says the scale of the funding is encouraging — but warns that success depends on how widely the money is spread.
Culture, he argues, is not just about landmark institutions or major capital projects. It relies on networks of freelancers, independent venues and community organisations, many of which are still struggling with rising costs and the aftershocks of the pandemic.
For cities like Brighton & Hove — where grassroots music venues in Brighton and independent cultural spaces form the backbone of creative life — funding that only stabilises headline institutions risks weakening the wider ecosystem. Initiatives such as the Creative Foundations Fund and Arts Everywhere Fund will be vital, but only if they support everyday cultural activity rather than concentrating resources at the top.
Consider the artists — not just the buildings
Wanja Kimani, PhD candidate in Fine Art at the University of the Arts London, welcomes the £160 million allocation for regional museums, describing it as a lifeline for institutions under strain.
But Kimani stresses that museums and galleries are more than bricks and mortar. To remain relevant, they must evolve — becoming more experimental, community-rooted and inclusive in how they operate.
In Brighton & Hove, where local artists and creatives play a central role in the city’s identity, Kimani questions how much of this funding will translate into fair pay, meaningful opportunities and reduced barriers to participation. Investing in buildings alone, she argues, is not enough — artists themselves must be properly supported.
Questions remain over delivery and long-term impact
Charlie Gregson, Senior Lecturer in Museum Studies at Nottingham Trent University, says the funding aims to address foundational issues such as venue repairs and sustainable business models — but warns that key details remain unclear.
Outstanding questions include how funding will be distributed regionally, how recipients will be prioritised, and whether specialist skills shortages will be addressed. Critics also point to the lack of clarity around continued support for local authority museums facing ongoing funding gaps.
For places like Brighton & Hove, where local museums and galleries are deeply embedded in community life, Gregson argues that more socially engaged decision-making will be essential. New approaches — including adaptive reuse of buildings and community-led stewardship — could help create the long-term resilience the funding promises.
This article is part of our State of the Arts series, exploring the challenges facing the UK’s arts and heritage sector — and celebrating the wins along the way.
Adam Behr, Reader in Music, Politics and Socieity, Newcastle University; Charlie Gregson, Senior Lecturer in Museum Studies, Nottingham Trent University, and Wanja Kimani, PhD Candidate in Fine Art, Chelsea College of Arts, University of the Arts London, University of the Arts London
