Galleries, museums, libraries and cultural venues across the country - including Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery - are to benefit from almost £50 million of funding which will improve people’s access to the arts, safeguard cultural assets for future generations and power economic growth through culture.

Birmingham City Council has been awarded a grant of £4,998,820 by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sports, delivered by Arts Council England.

The city council will be utilising the funding to address specific works as part of a wider electrical upgrade and refurbishment of the city’s flagship museum - Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery located in the city centre.

The grant will allow Birmingham Museums to continue much-needed infrastructure works at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery which will improve conditions for both the collection stored there and for visitors. Works will include repairs to the fabric of the building, upgrading heating, improving physical access and protecting collections in transit with the replacement of lifts. Arts Minister, Lord Parkinson said:

“Culture is the bedrock of society. It brings people together, entertains and informs us, and helps us to understand our common past and shared future. Today we are announcing a raft of new funding for treasured cultural institutions up and down the country.

“This will help them to continue their great work, advance our work to level up access to arts and culture so they can be enjoyed by people no matter where they live, and protect these cherished institutions for future generations to enjoy."

The Cultural Investment Fund will see £48 million distributed to 63 organisations. It is allocated through three streams: £24 million through the Cultural Development Fund, £18.8 million through the Museums Estate and Development Fund, and £5 million through the Libraries Improvement Fund. The announcement follows a concerted effort by the government to support the country’s vital cultural organisations.

The Museum Estate and Development Fund helps fund museum and local authority infrastructure projects and urgent maintenance works beyond their day-to-day budgets.