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Arts Council England celebrated its 75th anniversary on Monday (August 9) and the impact of public arts funding on careers, communities and creativity.

"Over the last 75 years we have created a world class creative and cultural sector," Chair Nicolas Serota said.

"The principle of using public funds to stimulate creativity, culture and the arts was a bold innovation and has formed a blueprint for the creation of other arts councils across the world."

The council was created by Winston Churchill's government just after VE Day in 1946. It succeeded the wartime Committee for the Encouragement of Music and the Arts, established in 1940 to provide “inspiration and enjoyment” in the midst of blackouts and bombing raids.

In the decades since, the council has grown from funding just 46 organisations to having a portfolio of about 800 today.

It will be sharing moments of its history on social media over the coming weeks using the hashtag #CreativeMemories.