Policy paper

DCMS place targeting

A new approach to targeting DCMS programmes with the aim of improving community outcomes, to make a difference in the places that need it the most.

• From: Department for Culture, Media and Sport
• Published: 22 May 2026
• Last updated: 25 September 2026
  Show all updates

  1. 25 September 2026

     Changed Westmorland and Furness (note only Barrow-in-Furness is a previous ACE PP) to Westmorland and Furness (for this local authority only Barrow-in-Furness is a culture priority place). Changed Somerset (note only South Somerset is a previous ACE PP) to Somerset (for this local authority only South Somerset is a culture priority place). Added the same clarification for North Yorkshire (for this local authority only Selby is a culture priority place).

  2. 1 June 2026

     Clarified that out of the Arts Council Priority Places not identified by DCMS methodology, both Westmorland and Furness and Somerset are only partly prioritised at present due to boundary changes. Arts Council Priority Places are Barrow in Furness and South Somerset respectively.

  3. 22 May 2026

     First published.

This was published under the 2024 to 2026 Starmer Labour government

Documents

A new approach to place targeting across DCMS programmes

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Culture Priority Places

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Details

This page sets out the approach that DCMS is taking to targeting its programmes and spend towards the places that need it the most. As this approach is applied to new and existing DCMS programmes, the details will be published on this page.