FIVE East Lancashire boroughs have been invited to bid for a share of £75million to support cultural projects.

Blackburn with Darwen, Hyndburn, Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale are among 24 local authority areas in the North-West given priority status for the new Arts Council England cash.

The £75m is aimed at benefitting cultural schemes outside London as part of the government's levelling up agenda.

ACE currently spends £21 per head in London and an average of £6 per head in the rest of England.

Arts Minister Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay said: “For too long arts funding has been heavily focused on London.

“The Government is changing that so that people across the North West of England can benefit from an even greater array of cultural activities on their doorstep.”

Laurie Peake and Jenny Rutter, directors at Super Slow Way in Blackburn with Darwen, said: “Arts Council England's investment enables Super Slow Way to bring artists to East Lancashire to work with our communities, creating new opportunities for a more creative, regenerative future.

“Programmes such as the British Textile Biennial and the Pennine Lancashire Linear Park highlight the cultural identity of the area.

Blackburn with Darwen Council culture boss Cllr Damian Talbot said: "Arts spending in London is almost four times higher than the rest of the country – which just shows how much needs to be done to support the arts in the regions.

"We have a proud cultural heritage in Blackburn with Darwen – with our outstanding world-renowned museum collections, support for classical music at King George's Hall, and our support for local cultural and arts events.

"But levels of income locally mean that we need financial support if we are to continue encouraging cultural education.

"I certainly welcome this funding but hope more will be done to support the arts in our area."

Pendle MP Andrew Stephenson said: “For far too long cultural investment has been unfairly distributed despite the wealth of talent spread across the country.

“The government’s funding boost for cultural organisations in areas of historically low cultural engagement is a vital step forward and I urge cultural organisations across Pendle to bid for funds."

Antony Higginbotham MP said: "The government’s latest funding boost for cultural organisations in Burnley and Padiham will allow us to continue the mission to redress these structural imbalances and I’d encourage all those within the sector to bid for funds.”