Arts Council reopens National Lottery funding scheme

The Arts Council is making £59.8m worth of funding available after reopening its National Lottery grant-making scheme as Covid-19 lockdown measures ease.

It has announced that its National Lottery Project Grants (NLPG) will reopen on 22 July until April 2021.

Funding is available to creative and cultural projects that benefit the public. Due to its suspension during the Covid-19 pandemic the reopening has been “prioritised” so that funding can be distributed “as quickly and efficiently as possible”.

The money can be used to deliver short-term projects as well as longer term initiatives, such as research and development.



The NLPG was one of a number of funding streams that had been suspended by the Arts Council during the pandemic as it focused on emergency funding measures.

When it reopens the NLPG will be subject to changes to reflect the needs of smaller organisations bidding for money. This includes relaxing its 10% match funding condition.

“Since the beginning of the pandemic, we’ve seen how much of a positive difference creative people and organisations make to communities across England,” said
Arts Council chief executive Darren Henley.

“Thanks to National Lottery players, we’ve been able to support our nation’s creativity over the past few months through our Emergency Response Funds.

“Now, we’re turning our attention to rebuilding cultural and artistic life in our villages, towns and cities through this £59.8 million National Lottery Project Grants investment in artists, arts organisations, museums and libraries.”

    Share Story:

Recent Stories


Charity Times video Q&A: In conversation with Hilda Hayo, CEO of Dementia UK
Charity Times editor, Lauren Weymouth, is joined by Dementia UK CEO, Hilda Hayo to discuss why the charity receives such high workplace satisfaction results, what a positive working culture looks like and the importance of lived experience among staff. The pair talk about challenges facing the charity, the impact felt by the pandemic and how it's striving to overcome obstacles and continue to be a highly impactful organisation for anybody affected by dementia.
Charity Times Awards 2023

Mitigating risk and reducing claims
The cost-of-living crisis is impacting charities in a number of ways, including the risks they take. Endsleigh Insurance’s* senior risk management consultant Scott Crichton joins Charity Times to discuss the ramifications of prioritising certain types of risk over others, the financial implications risk can have if not managed properly, and tips for charities to help manage those risks.

* Coming soon… Howden, the new name for Endsleigh.