Records created or inherited by the Department of National Heritage and the Department...

PF

1980-2024

Records created or inherited by the Department of National Heritage and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and predecessors concerning a number of functions related to the arts, broadcasting, film, sport, architecture and historic sites, royal parks and tourism.

National Lottery Awards Database, PF 1.

The Queen's Golden Jubilee Website, PF 2.

Records relating to the bid for the 2012 Olympic Games: Records of the Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games Units are in PF 138, and records from the Permanent Secretary's Private Office also relating to the bid are in PF 139.

Records for the UK City of Culture competition (bids from 2013 onwards) are in PF 231.

Records relating to Bills, Acts of Parliament and departmental papers are in PF 232.

Registered files are in: PF 229, PF 230, PF 233, PF 288, PF 289, PF 290, PF 294, PF 295, PF 296, PF 297, PF 304, PF 305, PF 306, PF 307, PF 308, PF 309, PF 310, PF 316, PF 317, PF 320, PF 322, PF 323, PF 343, PF 344, PF 345, PF 364, PF 365, PF 366.

For series created for regularly archived websites, please see the separate Websites Division.

For records of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), see SIT

For records of the Millennium Commission, see MM

Public Record(s)

English

• Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 1997-2017
• Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, 2017-2017
• Department of National Heritage, 1992-1997
• Department of the Environment, 1970-1997

454 series

Open

From 2017 Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

From 2001 Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Topics

Art, architecture and design

Government finances

Travel and tourism

Events and exhibitions

Sports

Department of National Heritage (DNH), 1992-1997

The DNH was created in 1992, to amalgamate a number of functions related to the arts, broadcasting, film, sport, architecture and historic sites, royal parks and tourism. The core of the new department was formed of the Office of Arts and Libraries, and additional functions (media, heritage, sport, tourism) were transferred from a number of other government departments. DNH was responsible for funding the Arts Council of Great Britain and other arts bodies, the national museums and galleries in England and the British Library.

DNH had direct responsibility for expenditure on the new British Library building at St Pancras. It was also responsible for the encouragement and development of 'creative industries' within the world of the arts. Other departmental responsibilities included the issue of export licences and policy on works of art, antiques and collector's items; policy on the Acceptance of Works of Art in lieu of Tax Scheme; the Government Art Collection; and government indemnity for the loan of works of art.

DNH also oversaw broadcasting and media policy; regulation and freedom of the press; policy regarding British cinema; policies on sport and recreation, including safety at sports grounds and sponsorship of the Sports Council. Its brief extended to the built heritage, including the Royal Parks Agency and the Historic Royal Palaces Agency. It was also responsible for policy regarding tourism, and the sponsorship of the British Tourist Authority.

Additionally, DNH was required to develop and implement the National Lottery, to supervise the work of the Millennium Commission (and related bodies concerned with the allocation of lottery funds), and to deal with the sponsorship of the National Heritage Memorial Fund.

DNH was re-named the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in 1997, following a change in government.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), 1997-2017

The DCMS was established in July 1997. Its aim is to improve the quality of life for all through cultural and sporting activities, to support the pursuit of excellence and to champion the tourism, creative and leisure industries. It is responsible for government policy relating to the arts, sport, the National Lottery, tourism, libraries, museums and galleries, broadcasting, creative industries (including film and music industries), press freedom and regulation, licensing, gambling and the historic environment.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), 2017-2023

On 3 July 2017 the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) was rebranded to 'Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport', while continuing to be referred to as DCMS in all communications, to reflect the department's increased activity in the digital sector, particularly in its work involving telecommunications, data protection, internet safety, cyber skills and the media and creative industries.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), from 2023

In February 2023, the department reverted to its former name 'Department for Culture, Media and Sport'. The re-branded department retained all its responsibilities, aside from the digital remit which was subsequently transferred to the newly-formed Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.