Lucy Allan MP has welcomed the Conservative Government’s investment of £241,950 in Shropshire Libraries as part of the Cultural Investment Fund. Libraries in Telford and across Shropshire will be recipients of this funding to ensure that local people have access to these vital institutions across the county, no matter where they live.
The Cultural Investment Fund, which totals more than £200 million and was launched in 2019, is made up of three separate streams: the Cultural Development Fund, the Libraries Improvement Fund, and the Museum Estate and Development Fund. It is designed to protect and improve people’s access to culture, level up local cultural venues, and use investment to promote economic growth.
The £20.5 million Libraries Improvement Fund will transform library services in England to upgrade their builds and improve digital infrastructure. This is the second round of the fund with 25 projects already benefiting from £5 million of funding in the first round.
This announcement follows a big boost for the cultural sector from the Government in the Spring Budget with an extension of tax reliefs for theatres, orchestras, and museum and gallery exhibitions for a further two years. These tax reliefs have already supported thousands of theatres and orchestral productions, galleries and museums across the country, and the extension is set to help the cultural sector continue to attract new talent and investment from home and abroad.
Lucy Allan MP said:
I welcome the announcement that libraries in Telford and across Shropshire will receive £241,950 from Government. I know people across Telford will enjoy the new and improved facilities developed as a result of this funding.
I am thrilled that the importance of our local libraries being recognised, and I look forward to visiting soon to see the difference this investment has made.
Culture Secretary, Lucy Frazer said:
This investment will help to level up access to culture for everyone, no matter where they live.
Culture helps us create lifelong memories with our families and friends, provides entertainment and joy, and allows us to explore the world around us in new and exciting ways. It can also boost tourism, support local business and drive local economic growth.
