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balletLORENT welcomes the Government announcement of a £1.5 billion investment in arts, culture and heritage across England over the next five years. The funding is intended to address urgent capital needs and support more than 1,000 cultural venues, including theatres and performance spaces that are essential to the cultural life of communities across the country.

As a National Portfolio Organisation, balletLORENT will receive a 5% uplift in funding for 2026/27. At a time when touring costs continue to rise, this investment will help us to sustain its national touring programme, support artists and creative teams, and continue delivering high-quality dance theatre to audiences across England.

The wider package recognises the importance of theatres as accessible, welcoming spaces where communities can come together. Capital investment in venues will support essential maintenance and improvements, helping to ensure that theatres remain viable, affordable and fit for touring work.

Following a prolonged period of underinvestment in the cultural sector, funding targeted at organisations and areas that need it most is a positive step towards strengthening the infrastructure that touring companies and local venues rely on.

We welcome investment that supports sustainable touring, protects performance spaces, and enables audiences everywhere to experience dance theatre in their local theatres.

The £1.5 billion of funding is made up of:

£760 million for museums

• £600 million for infrastructure and urgent maintenance across national and Department for Culture, Media and Sport -sponsored museums
• £160 million for local and regional museums, including support to tackle maintenance backlogs and improve long-term sustainability

£425 million Creative Foundations Fund

• Supporting around 300 capital projects in arts venues across the country

£230 million for heritage

• £75 million for at-risk heritage repairs and conservation
• £46 million Heritage Revival Fund to bring local heritage buildings back into public use
• £92 million Places of Worship Renewal Fund to support repairs and maintenance of religious heritage buildings

£27.5 million Libraries Improvement Fund

• Supporting upgrades to library buildings and technology

£80 million capital funding for National Portfolio Organisations

• Delivered over four years, alongside a 5% uplift in 2026/27, supporting arts and culture activity in every local authority

Photo: Snow White

Dancer: Virginia Scudeletti

Photographer: Luke Waddington