Culture secretary Jeremy Hunt has set aside £80m for match fund schemes as part of government plans to increase the number of philanthropic donations to arts groups.

Revealing a ten point plan for the future of arts funding, Hunt said he wanted to create "a new generation of philanthropists" and increase the private sector's share in supporting the arts.

"Public funding of the arts will always continue", he said. "But we must help our arts organisations develop more mixed funding models, to help give them long term financial stability and certainty."

The ten point plan includes the £80m pot of gold, which the government hopes will lead to more than £160m being invested in arts via match funding; a commitment to develop and train fundraising skills and capacity across the culture sector; and harnessing digital technology to boost philanthropy.

Speaking at the European Association for Philanthropy and Giving event this morning (8 December 2010), Hunt dismissed suggestions that the measures were simply a response to cuts in arts funding.

"Philanthropy is not about replacing state funding with private support. Instead it is about a highly ambitious aim for this country to combine the best of US-style philanthropic support with the best of European-style public support."