Edinburgh Opens £3.8m Fund to Improve Historic and Cultural Buildings
Edinburgh theatres, museums, galleries, and historic buildings can apply for grants to improve accessibility and energy efficiency, with the first application deadline on 20 November.
Cultural and heritage venues across Edinburgh can now apply for a share of £3.8 million to make their buildings more accessible and cheaper to run. City of Edinburgh Council opened the Small Scale Accessible and Sustainable Capital Fund on 20 October 2026, offering grants of up to £500,000 over three years.
The money comes from Edinburgh’s Visitor Levy, which has applied to eligible overnight stays since July 2026. The fund will reinvest some of that income in the cultural and historic buildings that attract visitors to the capital.
Edinburgh councillors have already approved Visitor Levy funding for seven other projects, covering historic buildings such as the Tron Kirk and Leith Customs House, alongside improvements to public spaces and transport links.
What can the £3.8m fund pay for?
The scheme supports improvements to existing buildings, with a focus on accessibility, energy efficiency, and reducing carbon emissions.
Eligible projects include:
- Accessibility improvements: Installing ramps, lifts, accessible toilets, automatic doors, hearing loops, and better signage.
- Energy efficiency: Improving insulation, draught-proofing, glazing, heating systems, and LED lighting.
- Low-carbon technology: Installing solar panels, battery storage, and other equipment designed to reduce energy use.
- Accessibility technology: Introducing live captioning equipment, accessible booking systems, and wayfinding apps.
- Professional services: Covering eligible design work, conservation architects, access audits, and energy assessments directly related to projects.
Work on listed and historic buildings must follow appropriate conservation guidance and obtain any necessary permissions.
The funding is for capital improvements rather than everyday operating costs. It cannot be used for routine staffing, events programming, or general running expenses.
Projects must be completed by March 2029.
Who is eligible to apply?
The fund is open to organisations responsible for cultural and heritage buildings within the City of Edinburgh Council area.
Potential applicants include operators of theatres, museums, galleries, community heritage buildings, and historic houses that are open to the public.
Organisations can apply as building owners, leaseholders with the necessary consent, or authorised managing organisations.
This is not a general business or residential property grant. Buildings must meet the scheme’s cultural or heritage requirements and demonstrate how the proposed work will improve accessibility, environmental performance, or resilience.
Projects must cost at least £10,000, while the maximum grant request is £500,000.
Some applications also require match funding. The council’s published guidance currently gives conflicting thresholds for when a 20% contribution is required. Applicants should confirm the requirement with the fund team before submitting a bid.
Meeting the eligibility criteria does not guarantee funding. Applications will be assessed competitively against the council’s published criteria.
Application deadlines and how to apply
Three application rounds are scheduled:
| Application round | Closing date |
|---|---|
| Round one | 20 November 2026 |
| Round two | 26 February 2027 |
| Round three | 10 December 2027 |
Applications must be submitted online through the council’s consultation hub.
Organisations should also review the full eligibility and funding guidance before applying, particularly where projects involve listed building consent, landlord permission, or match funding.
For questions about eligibility or the application process, the council’s funding team can be contacted at culturaldevelopment@edinburgh.gov.uk.
How does Edinburgh’s Visitor Levy fund the scheme?
The £3.8 million programme is part of a wider package of investment financed by Edinburgh’s Visitor Levy.
The levy charges 5% on eligible paid overnight accommodation, capped at the first five consecutive nights. It applies to stays from 24 July 2026 where bookings were made on or after 1 October 2025, subject to the scheme’s exemption rules.
City of Edinburgh Council has agreed Visitor Levy investment programmes worth more than £90 million over three years, covering cultural facilities, public spaces, and other improvements across the city.
The new cultural buildings fund sits within the Culture, Heritage and Events programme and is separate from funding schemes supporting businesses in the wider visitor economy.
Further details are available on the City of Edinburgh Council website.
For more on the accommodation charge, exemptions, and how it works, read our Edinburgh Visitor Levy guide.