Since The National Lottery’s first draw in 1994, more than £46billion has been raised for good causes in the areas of heritage, arts, sport, film and community. That’s over £30million raised by National Lottery players each week.

What is National Lottery Open Week?

National Lottery Open Week takes place between 18 and 26 March 2023. Anyone who visits a National Lottery-supported venue or project with a National Lottery ticket, Instant Win Game or scratchcard (physical or digital) is able to take up a special ‘thank you’ offer.

What does a special offer look like?

From free entry and behind the scenes tours to a complimentary gift or cup of tea, there are so many ways to say #ThanksToYou during National Lottery Open Week.

Previously, popular offers have included:

• free entry to Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre in Cheshire, where they saw an increase of 500 visitors compared to the previous year
• 2-for-1 entry at Hillsborough Castle and Gardens in County Down, Northern Ireland
• free circus workshops at The Circus House in Manchester
• free tickets to the exhibition ‘Eco-Visionaries’ at The Royal Academy of Art in London
• free cloisters tours at Hereford Cathedral
• free hot drinks at Stonehenge

Take a look at a list examples from previous years for more inspiration.

Why get involved?

It is a great way to acknowledge your grant and say 'thank you' to National Lottery players for the funding your organisation has received. It is your chance to show what a difference that support has made in a clear and direct way.

It is also a great opportunity to highlight the work you're doing. There will be plenty of public visibility around the week, including an exciting media campaign, adverts and social media activity.

Finally, it is a fantastic opportunity to welcome new audiences. Around 70% of visitors who took part in The National Lottery’s 2021 survey said they'd never visited the venue before, or hadn’t in the past two years. That’s a lot of new visitors!

In 2022, 96% percent of projects that completed The National Lottery’s participant survey said they would take part again.

Get involved