The National Lottery

When the National Lottery was established in 1993, the arts were one of the five original 'good causes' to which money could be given. National Lottery arts funding is distributed through the Arts Councils of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales and through distributors such as the Big Lottery Fund. The Lottery has brought approximately £3 billion to the arts, contributing in particular to the restoration and building of arts venues.

The Lottery, however,can be a mixed blessing because of the threat that the Government, despite assurances of additionality, might see Lottery funding of the arts as an excuse to reduce its own arts funding. Furthermore, the arts are becoming accustomed to the additional funding from the Lottery, but Lottery resources, being market dependent, are not assured, and if Lottery money dried up or were diverted, the arts funding climate would be radically altered. The NCA therefore monitors carefully any changes to the Lottery and its system for distributing funds. The DCMS is responsible for National Lottery policy and sponsors the National Lottery Commission which regulates the Lottery. For more information, click here.

For more information about the arts and the National Lottery please choose from the menu below:

Lottery Good Causes consultation 2006

National Lottery and the Olympics 2005+

National Lottery Bill 2005

Transformational Grants 2005

National Lottery Licence Competition 2005

Budd Report 2001