Arts Council England announces £40m of arts investment

7 May 2009

PaintbrushesArts Council England is set to invest £40 million in art organisations and artists over the next two years, it has announced.

Sustain is a new, open-application fund that will aid arts groups hit by the economic downturn with a view to ensuring long-term sustainability.

The funding will come from the Arts Council's lottery income and will range from between £75,000 and £3 million.

Available grants will also increase by £4 million to £56 million in the next two years, also supported by lottery money.

Organisations eligible for Sustain funding must discuss their proposal with a regional office of the council before submitting a formal application.

Applicants will ultimately be assessed by a board comprising the Arts Council chief executive and the executive directors of Arts Planning and Investment and Arts Strategy.

The news comes after the Arts Council's government funding for 2010-11 was cut by £4 million.

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