This wonderful open letter invites us all to celebrate #VE80 this May. Thanks to £2million of @dcms funding, arts centres, libraries and museums across the country will be hosting activities and events to commemorate, celebrate and reflect on the VE and VJ Day anniversaries.

We're proud that All In, our new access scheme, won the Disability Smart Procurement Award at this year's #DisabilitySmartAwards! 🏆✨ They're recognised for transforming access in the creative and cultural sector for deaf, disabled & neurodivergent people 👏 #WeAreAllIn

NEW: Over £2 million invested for first time tours 🎉 Developed closely with the touring ecology, the pilot Incentivising Touring scheme will bring amazing UK dance and theatre to communities across the UK and internationally 💃️🎭🗺️ Find out more 👇 buff.ly/mTBiCBJ

🎉 Milestone reached! This week, the Digital Culture Network supported its 8,000th case 🎯 We're proud to empower the creative and cultural sector with expert digital guidance. Need support? Ask a Tech Champion 👉 digitalculturenetwork.org.uk/ask-a-tech-cha…

📢 National Portfolio Organisation Zest has announced their summer programme! 🎭 Touring Nationally from May 2025, its new show, Sound Board, will be making its way to the South East. Catch it at bOing Festival Canterbury, 23-24 August 2025. #LetsCreate

🌊 #BeachofDreams25 is back with a powerful celebration of art, community & climate action! 🎨 Until the 1 June, coastlines across the UK come alive with artist commissions, creative journeys & collective imagination. Learn more on the digital map: beachofdreams.org

Service update: This weekend our application portal, Grantium, is closed for maintenance from 10pm Fri 9 May until 10pm Sun 11 May, and back online Mon 12 May 📅 Our Customer Services team are online until 4pm Fri and back 10am Mon 👇 buff.ly/jSv6lTu

Today we mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day 🧵👇

Shared reading boosts brain development, bonding, wellbeing, school readiness & community connection 📖 We’re proud to support the #ReadingRights report from @BookTrust & Frank Cottrell-Boyce, which explores how we can make sure no child misses out 👇 buff.ly/8DsRtOr

Interested in contributing to our strategic direction & supporting our mission as the national development agency for culture and creativity? Department for Culture, Media and Sport is looking for three new members to join our National Council & a Chair to join our Midlands Area Council👇 buff.ly/RlFm9GL

Cultural tax reliefs survey 📣📝 We're reviewing how cultural tax reliefs impact the UK economy and we want to hear your insights. 📆 Have your say by 30 May 👇 buff.ly/uDZV2M5

Expressions of interest for the Libraries Improvement Fund (LIF) close Fri 30 May 📣 Funded by Department for Culture, Media and Sport, LIF supports library services in England to improve buildings and technology, helping them better meet the needs of their communities. Find out more 👇 buff.ly/k3N63zq

Creativity 🎨 = Wellbeing 💕 = Productivity and Growth! 🪴 Our new Evidence Review by Daniel Fujiwara 藤原ダニエル, Prof Paul Dolan, Nancy Hey and Vidhyarth Natarajan explains why embedding wellbeing measures in policy produces results 👇 buff.ly/VWZvJhu

The new Reading Well for families booklist is here! Expert-approved and co-produced with families and health partners, these books support parents and carers through pregnancy and early years. 👉 Explore the list: bit.ly/reading-well-f… #ReadingWell

🎉 30 years of the National Lottery! We were proud to celebrate three decades of creativity, community & impact at Speaker’s House this week. Thanks to National Lottery players, who've supported arts & culture with over £7.9 billion 🤞 #NationalLottery30 #ThanksToYou

Share your insights 📣 If you're a creative artist, freelancer, cultural organisation, community group or something else — we want to hear from you about how innovation and R&D shapes your work! 🗣️ Take the The Audience Agency survey by 25 June 📅👇 bit.ly/4kXe0HR

👏 Congratulations to the winners and runners-up of the 2025 Libraries Connected Awards across the South East! Learn more about this year’s Libraries Connected Awards 👉 bit.ly/3SMzaML

📢 The 2025 Brighton Book Festival starts tomorrow and will run until the 22nd! 📚 Check out Brighton Book Festival's incredible programming of events covering all sorts of writing from comedy and food to activism and social justice 👇 brightonbookfestival.co.uk