£76.8 Million to Restore and Future-Proof Cultural Buildings in England — Creative Foundations Fund (CFF) Round 2
Arts Council England has opened Round 2 of the Creative Foundations Fund, with £76.8 million available for capital projects that repair, upgrade or renew the buildings and equipment cultural organisations rely on. The fund is split into two strands by project size, and full applications close at noon on 23 October 2026.
About the Creative Foundations Fund
The Creative Foundations Fund exists to tackle England’s aging cultural infrastructure – buildings and equipment that are business-critical but increasingly at risk of failure. Rather than funding new development, it’s aimed squarely at revitalising, restoring, retrofitting and renewing the assets cultural organisations already have, so they can keep operating safely and sustainably. The first round of the fund was heavily oversubscribed, receiving 722 expressions of interest totalling £746 million, of which only 74 projects were ultimately funded — so Round 2 is expected to be similarly competitive.
How Much Funding Is Available
The £76.8 million is split across two strands, based on project size:
- Strand 1 (smaller-scale projects): grants of £100,000–£1,000,000, with up to £25 million available in total. Covers equipment purchases, building renovation or upgrade projects, or a combination of both. Requires a minimum of 5% partnership funding from other sources.
- Strand 2 (larger-scale projects): grants above £1,000,000 up to £10,000,000, with up to £51.8 million available in total. Building projects only, or combined building and equipment projects — equipment-only applications aren’t permitted under this strand. Requires 10% minimum partnership funding for grants between £1–5 million, rising to 15% minimum for grants above £5 million.
What the Fund Supports
Both strands fund business-critical capital work, including roof and exterior restoration, window and door upgrades, thermal performance improvements, fire safety systems, HVAC replacement (including moving away from fossil fuel systems), accessibility modifications such as ramps, accessible toilets and signage, and security upgrades. Equipment funding can cover specialist technical systems (sound, lighting, audio description), inclusive participation equipment such as height-adjustable furniture, and low-emission touring vehicles. Professional fees can be included, though pre-agreement design work and VAT are not recoverable.
The fund does not cover revenue or operational costs, routine maintenance or minor repairs, adaptive reuse of buildings for new cultural purposes, new build development, or software and training costs.
Who Is Eligible
The fund is open to not-for-profit creative and cultural organisations in England, including registered charities and charitable trusts, Charitable Incorporated Organisations (CIOs), Community Interest Companies (CICs), non-profit-distributing limited companies, and statutory or public bodies managing cultural services. Applicants must be able to demonstrate through their governing documents that their primary aims are cultural, and partnership applications are welcome provided a lead organisation is designated.
Accredited and non-accredited museums, libraries, individuals, and organisations outside England cannot apply. Building projects need professional drawings and cost plans to at least RIBA Work Stage 3, and leasehold properties must have a set number of years remaining on the lease (10–15 years for Strand 1, 20–30 years for Strand 2, depending on grant size). Grants over £500,000 also require a legal security arrangement, such as a covenant or charge, over the property.
The Application Process
Applications run through a two-stage process. Organisations first submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) — this is a screening stage, and EOIs for both Strand 1 and Strand 2 are open now. Successful applicants are then invited to submit a full application, which requires professional architectural drawings and specifications, detailed cost plans, evidence of the full partnership funding commitment, maintenance and management plans for building projects, and an asset register. Applications are submitted through the Arts Council’s online grants portal.
Funding Timeline
- Expressions of interest: open now for both Strand 1 and Strand 2
- Full application deadline: 23 October 2026, 12:00 noon
- Earliest project start date: 1 April 2027
- Project completion deadline: 31 March 2030 (36 months maximum)
