Poetry centre and old Ikea get share of £67m culture fund

Plans to convert a Leeds church into a National Poetry Centre and a former Ikea in Coventry into a visitor attraction are among cultural projects that have had government funding worth £67m confirmed.

However, six more locations that had been promised a further £30m will now not receive that money.

Almost £100m was originally announced for "Levelling Up" culture projects in April 2024.

The incoming government said it was "minded to withdraw" all of the money because of "the need to make savings", but has now chosen 10 places to keep their funding.

They include the National Poetry Centre, which is the brainchild of Poet Laureate Simon Armitage.

It will receive £5m towards creating a 250-seat performance theatre, bookshop, library, cafe, recording facilities and rehearsal spaces in Trinity St David's Church.

"Thanks to this excellent news, the National Poetry Centre will become a reality," Armitage said.

"Poetry is enjoying a surge of popularity, offering people from every walk of life an accessible and memorable means of expression. Leeds, at the heart of Britain and the crossroads of the country, is the perfect place for a national and international headquarters."

The other successful projects are:

• National Railway Museum in York - £15m to build a new Central Hall, with a new entrance, gallery, shop, cafe and other facilities
• British Library North in Leeds - £10m to start converting a derelict Grade 1 building into an offshoot of the British Library
• International Slavery Museum and Maritime Museum in Liverpool - £10m "to expand and maintain the museums"
• Venue Cymru in Llandudno - £10m to upgrade the arts centre and "create a modern and innovative cultural hub"
• City Centre Cultural Gateway in Coventry - £5m to convert the old Ikea into "a new cultural and visitor attraction"
• Newport Transporter Bridge, Wales - £5m for vital repair and maintenance works
• V&A Dundee - £2.6m to "create an improved destination and visitor experience" at the venue, which opened in 2018
• Scala arts venue in Worcester - £2.3m for three projects including office, studio and exhibition spaces and a youth hub
• Belfast's Shore Road Skills Centre - £2.2m for a project driven by Crusaders FC

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy 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."

The government said it had prioritised projects from the original list that were the most advanced, would make significant cultural impact, and would maximise economic growth.

However, several areas that had been earmarked to receive £5m each will miss out. They are: Maldon in Essex, Redditch in Worcestershire, High Peak and Erewash in Derbyshire, Mendip in Somerset, and North Northamptonshire.

Jason Smithers, leader of North Northamptonshire Council, said he was "clearly disappointed" by the withdrawal of funding that would have paid for "an exciting and impactful programme of projects which would have helped deliver real economic benefits".