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Yorkshire culture spots to get £30m funding

Handout The exterior of the National Railway Museum on a sunny day. The museum building is red brick with blue and red signs and a bright yellow welcome sig above the entrance. Two adults and a child are walking into the museum. Handout
A new building will be constructed at the National Railway Museum in York

Various culture projects across Yorkshire are set to receive million of pounds of government funding to boost jobs, tourism and regeneration.

The "critical" funding includes £15m for the National Railway Museum in York, £10m for the British Library North in Leeds and £5m for the National Poetry Centre, also in Leeds.

The money is part of the government's Plan for Change programme, which aims to deliver economic growth across the country.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: "Everyone across the country should be able to access arts and culture in the place they call home."

Historic England An exterior shot of Temple Works in LeedsHistoric England
The regeneration project will also bring new job opportunities, says the government

The National Railway Museum funding will go towards the construction of a new building, which will include a new entrance to the museum, a new gallery, shops, cafe, flexible event space and new visitor facilities.

The museum is part of a wider regeneration scheme in York to transform underused railway land into a new city quarter which could create more than 3,000 new homes and more than 6,000 new jobs, according to the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government.

The £10m for the British Library North will be spent revamping a new site called Temple Works, a derelict Grade I building and the £5m for the National Poetry Centre will renovate a redundant Grade II listed building to create a national headquarters for poetry.

Nandy also said: "This support will empower our cultural organisations to continue playing an essential role in developing skills, talent and high-quality careers in every corner of the UK."

Six major culture projects across the country will receive a total of more than £47m, the government confirmed.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner added: "Through investing in these critical cultural projects we can empower both local leaders and people to really tap into their potential and celebrate everything their home town has to offer.

"This means more tourism, more growth and more money in people's pockets."

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