Arts sector set to receive £400m aid in 2021 Budget

According to reports via the BBC, the Chancellor Rishi Sunak is set to announce an additional new package of £408m for theatres, museums and galleries.

This will involve a further £300m in the Culture Recovery Fund, as well as £90m to help museums and cultural bodies remain afloat until they can reopen. £18.8 million will be provided for community cultural projects.

It is also being reported that £77 million will be given to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – to aid cultural groups in a similar vein. Further details are to be revealed.

The news comes ahead of tomorrow's budget, when it is expected that further furlough support will be unveiled, as will a continued reduction in VAT for items such as theatre tickets.

It is unknown if any alterations will be made to the SEISS (Self-Employed Income Support Scheme) that may aid the large portion of the freelance workforce that has remained unsupported over the last year.

Sunak said: "Throughout the crisis we have done everything we can to support our world-renowned arts and cultural industries, and it's only right that we continue to build on our historic package of support for the sector.

"This industry is a significant driver of economic activity, employing more than 700,000 people in jobs across the UK, and I am committed to ensuring the arts are equipped to captivate audiences in the months and years to come."

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