The government has promised Cornwall £100,000 for culture and heritage projects to be spread over two years.

Communities Minister Lord Bourne announced a new fund, the Cornish Culture Fund, to help Cornwall Council encourage the development of the distinct culture and heritage of the county.

Lord Bourne said: “Cornwall has a rich history and distinctive identity. This new fund will help Cornish people further develop projects around their culture and heritage complementing the devolution deal signed with local partners in 2015.”

The fund could also be used to further boost the Cornish language, from Cornish classes to providing textbooks for learners. Efforts to revive the language by increasing the numbers of speakers have been successful, and this has benefitted the local and visitor economy through the promotion of the cultural distinctiveness of Cornwall.

Cornwall Council has a core spending power of £1.7 billion over four years and this distinct fund will boost the progress made on building the profile of Cornwall’s culture and heritage as part of the devolution deal.