Council for the Encouragement of Music and the Arts

In 1940, during World War II, a Council for the Encouragement of Music and the Arts (CEMA), was established. Its aim was to help support and preserve British culture. The Council was government-funded and after the war was renamed the Arts Council of Great Britain. The Council was divided in 1994 to form the Arts Council England the Scottish Arts Council, and the Arts Council of Wales. At the same time the National Lottery was established and these three arts councils, plus the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, became distribution bodies.