Treasured civic museums supported with new £20 million grant to help safeguard access to local culture and secure their futures
Museums across England can now apply for a share of £20 million to safeguard community access to their collections and invest in upgrading their services.
The new £20 million Museum Renewal Fund, which is now open to applications, is designed to support valued regional museums, with a local authority link. It will improve public access to collections and buildings, as well as community and educational programmes which will help ensure they are fit for the future.
These museums help keep memories alive across generations through their broad, diverse public collections. As well as being a crucial resource for schools, they help communities to connect with their local story by highlighting an area’s distinctive industrial, archaeological, natural and artistic heritage.
The money will boost community programmes, support and grow schools activities, driving more visitors to museums. It will also enhance revenue generation, investing in organisational change and IT upgrades, whilst also supporting jobs in the local community.
This follows the announcement from the Culture Secretary last month of the £270 million Arts Everywhere Fund, delivering on the Government’s Plan for Change to boost economic growth and increase opportunities for people across the country.
Arts Minister Sir Chris Bryant said:
The programme will be delivered by Arts Council England and will run from April 2025 until March 2026. It will be open to regional and local museums, with a funding or governance link to a local authority, across England to support them to safeguard access and services and invest in resilience measures.
The government is committed to working in partnership with local councils and leaders, as co-investors in culture.
Sir Nicholas Serota, Chair, Arts Council England, commented: