The leader of Dudley Council today urged local arts and culture venues to “not miss out” on a slice of extra funding made available by the government.

As part of the budget, Chancellor Rishi Sunak committed nearly £410 million nationally to venues such as theatres, galleries and museums.

This includes an additional £300 million to the Culture Recovery Fund, £90 million of emergency funding and £18.8 million for cultural community projects.

This investment has been welcomed by leader of Dudley Council who hopes the additional funding will benefit local organisations including the Black Country Living Museum and many other of the borough’s attractions which have been hit by the pandemic. Councillor Patrick Harley, leader of Dudley Council, said:

"I’m delighted arts and culture venues have been recognised within the budget. These sectors have suffered significantly as a result of the pandemic, many struggling to keep afloat, so this funding could be a lifeline.

"While we’re waiting for the government to confirm the finer details, I would urge any local venue who thinks they could be eligible for this funding to ensure they explore every avenue and not miss out on this opportunity.

"As leader of the council I am confident that our arts and culture venues will thrive once again and be the beating heart of Dudley borough, the historic capital of the Black Country. We will always be proud of our arts and cultural heritage and this is why we celebrate them within our forging a future for all vision."

Andrew Lovett, chief executive at Black Country Living Museum, added:

"The last 12 months have been hard for museums like ours, but we are optimistic for the future and welcome the additional funding from the government, which we hope will aid our recovery.

"We look forward to the day when we, and other venues alike, can open our doors once again and welcome visitors to enjoy our unique visitor experiences."