Cornerstones of Culture: Commission on Culture and Local Government: Summary Report

Councils are the biggest public funders of culture, spending over £1 billion a year in England alone. This includes 3,000 libraries, 350 museums, 116 theatres, and numerous castles, amusement parks, monuments, historic buildings and heritage sites.

However, the role councils and local cultural organisations play in our national cultural life is not always recognised at a national level, where funding is often fragmented and project based, creating problems around sustainability.

This report demonstrates the important contribution local council funded culture can make to the Levelling Up agenda and our recovery from COVID-19.