Arts Council England’s latest funding announcement will enable creativity and culture to spread to towns and cities across the country. The investment programme represents an increase in funding for almost 60% of Key Cities’ members, with 16 cities seeing a rise in the number of NPOs supported. This is a great step forward in levelling up our cultural infrastructure, but this needs to go further still to truly bring art and culture to local communities across the UK.

In support of this, Key Cities is working with Arts Council England to explore the role of culture in urban areas, and together we will be publishing a new report early next year. Comprising original research and recommendations, ‘Culture and Place’ will set out how cities are affected by policy and investment; the use of cultural strategies; trends in priorities, and the potential for supra-regional collaboration.