Arts Council England (ACE) has published details of how it intends to invest £440m worth of strategic funding between 2012 and 2015, which will include capital and touring support.

The strategic funding will complement the planned £1.04bn investment in National Portfolio organisations, with an increase in philanthropic giving among its aims.

ACE's strategic funding plans will consist of three parts, which are to include targeted grant programmes; specific grant commissions; and the general strategic grant programme.

Under targeted grant programmes, there will be three strands that organisations can apply to including the £180m Capital strand, which will help facilities become more sustainable.

The £50m Catalyst Arts programme aims to help groups diversify income streams, while the £45m Touring programme will encourage collaboration between organisations.

In the specific grant commissions section, a £7.5m Audience focus fund will benefit projects that work to widen and sustain audiences or visitors to the arts, museums and libraries.

The Audience fund opens on 4 November, although the £4.5m Artsmark fund is now open to submissions. Meanwhile, the Creative People and Places fund will open in early 2012.

Elsewhere, the general strategic grant programme will open in spring 2012 in order to enable arts groups to apply for funding that works towards Achieving great art for everyone.

ACE chief executive Alan Davey said: "Much of this new strategic funding comes from our Lottery income, following the government's decision to increase the share of Lottery money to the original four good causes.

"The funding will allow the Arts Council to invest in flexible and targeted ways to help realise our priorities and ambitions for the arts, building on our core investment in the National Portfolio."

Details: www.artscouncil.org.uk

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