Fears for arts projects are quelled as funding is confirmed for extensions to Tate Modern and British Museum

The government has confirmed funding for a raft of cultural projects, including extensions to the Tate Modern and British Museum, easing fears the ambitious arts building programme would be derailed by budget constraints.

Under today鈥檚 announcement from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the British Film Institute national film centre on London鈥檚 South Bank will also receive 拢45m and a new visitor centre at Stonehenge will get 拢10m.

The news comes three months after reports exposed a 拢100m black hole in the department鈥檚 finances for the financial years 2009/10 and 2010/11, causing speculation key projects could be ditched.

But today the government insisted it would honour its promises, with 拢50m to go towards the Tate Modern extension, 拢22.5m towards the British Museum鈥檚 World Conservation and Exhibitions Centre and 拢33m to the British Library鈥檚 newspaper archive in new premises in Yorkshire.

Announcing funding for the new film centre, prime minister Gordon Brown said: "These are challenging economic times but with backing from the public and private sector, the commitment to the new BFI National Film Centre demonstrates the government's continuing support for the arts in Britain, and our determination to invest in leading creative industries as part of our economic recovery.

鈥淭his is a great British success story and shows what can be achieved with a government that backs talent and gets behind industry."

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