Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether not-for-profit productions are eligible to apply for the Operation Sleeping Beauty fund.

Operation Sleeping Beauty aims to bring some theatre and Panto back by Christmas and support local theatres whilst they face a very challenging backdrop. As part of this, the National Lottery has teamed up with Qdos Entertainment for a promotional event and provided £6m of funding to support a number of panto productions to get up and running this winter across the country. This promotional activity is in addition to the ongoing support the National Lottery provides to good causes through the National Lottery Distribution Fund. Approval of National Lottery promotional spend is a matter for the Gambling Commission. DCMS does not hold a decision making role in the allocation of the funds.

We welcome this announcement from the National Lottery, who have found innovative ways to support sectors that have been hit hardest by Covid.

The National Lottery funding is in addition to the £1.57billion support the Government is already providing the arts through the Cultural Recovery Fund.