The funding is specifically allocated for essential maintenance and capital works to safeguard Turner Contemporary’s building and ensure it remains safe, accessible and operational well into the future. These works will help protect the gallery’s infrastructure and support its ability to host exhibitions to international standards.
Planned improvements include:
- addressing statutory and operational risks relating to compliance, sustainability and building performance
- upgrading mechanical and electrical systems
- enhancing gallery environments to meet international exhibition standards
- improving accessibility
- installing solar panels to improve environmental performance and support long‑term operational sustainability.
The award has been administered and delivered by Arts Council England on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
By securing the building’s core infrastructure, this funding will help protect Turner Contemporary as a vital public asset for Kent, supporting continued access for visitors and strengthening the gallery’s long‑term resilience.
The award forms part of a wider £12.6 million package for the South East, administered and delivered by Arts Council England on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, supporting fourteen cultural venues, museums and libraries through the Arts Everywhere Fund.
“This funding is about protecting an important public asset and making sure it continues to serve residents long into the future.”
Georgia Foster, Cabinet Member for Communities and Regulatory Services, said: “Turner Contemporary plays a vital role in Kent. Through its world‑class exhibitions, it brings people together, inspires creativity and supports wellbeing at every stage of life. It also plays a key role underpinning regeneration of our coastal communities.
‘This funding is about protecting an important public asset and making sure it continues to serve residents long into the future. I welcome this investment, which will help ensure people can continue to access high‑quality arts and cultural experiences, without placing additional pressures on local budgets later on.”
Culture Secretary, Lisa Nandy said: “I want everyone, everywhere to feel a sense of pride about where they come from. Cultural organisations across the South East are important custodians of local identity and play a key role in the story we tell ourselves as a nation.
"Our Arts Everywhere Fund is delivering on our commitment to support cultural assets across the country, increasing access and preserving them for future generations. This is demonstrated by grants announced today that will benefit fourteen culture venues, museums, and library services across the South East.
“Arts and culture are the beating hearts of our communities, they have the power to unite us in the face of division and break down barriers to opportunity. We want to harness the power to help us build a brighter future for the people of the South East.”
Hazel Edwards, South East Area Director, Arts Council England, said: "We are proud to support this new wave of investment through the Museum Estate and Development Fund, the Libraries Improvement Fund, and the Creative Foundations Fund.
“These programmes are strengthening the cultural infrastructure that communities rely on every day, from vibrant local libraries and much‑loved museums to the creative organisations that bring imagination and innovation to our towns and cities.
“This funding will help safeguard historic buildings, modernise essential public spaces, and ensure that cultural organisations can continue to thrive, adapt, and inspire.
“By investing in the foundations of our cultural lives, we are helping to secure a more sustainable, more accessible, and more creative future for people across the South East and beyond.”
Find out more about Turner Contemporary: Turner Contemporary
Notes to editors
About Arts Council England
Arts Council England is the national development agency for creativity and culture. Between 2023 and 2026 we will have invested over £467 million of public money from Government, alongside an estimated £250 million each year from The National Lottery, to support individual practitioners, arts organisations, museums and libraries, and to help ensure that people in every part of the country have access to culture and creativity in the places where they live.
Visit The Arts Council England website to learn more about their work.
About Turner Contemporary
Turner Contemporary is one of the UK’s most visited contemporary art galleries and part of Margate’s vibrant creative community. Opened in 2011 and designed by David Chipperfield, the gallery presents an ambitious programme of exhibitions, events and learning opportunities inspired by JMW Turner’s legacy and his enduring connection to the town. In 2026, Turner Contemporary marks its 15th anniversary. Since opening, the gallery has played a pivotal role in the region’s cultural and economic regeneration, welcoming five million visitors and contributing more than £100 million to the local economy.
