Michael Ellis has announced that three cultural projects across the North of England will receive a share of the £15 million Northern Cultural Regeneration Fund.

The Minister for Arts, Heritage and Tourism said that £4 million will help transform the vacant former Bradford Odeon cinema into a 4,000 capacity live music, entertainment and events venue, while the same amount will create a museum in Blackpool that will celebrate the town’s history as the UK’s first mass seaside holiday resort.

A further £3.3 million will enhance the visitor experience at cultural attractions across the Lake District, the UK’s newest World Heritage Site. As well as the three capital projects, a new fund providing access to finance for the cultural sector and creative industries in the North of England will be created.

Ellis said: “These exciting projects will provide a true cultural legacy for people across the North that increases tourism, boosts local economies and creates jobs for the future. They reflect the diversity and unique identity of Blackpool, Bradford and the Lake District and will enable them to realise their exciting cultural ambitions.”