Museums, arts venues, libraries, and heritage attractions in urgent need of financial are to recieve significant Government funding. The ‘Arts Everywhere Fund’ totals £270m, and is to be shared between organisations the UK Government deems in most urgent need of financial support. It consists of both new and renewed funds for the sector.
As part of this package of support, five Industrial Heritage museums and sites will share grants from the 5th round of MEND support worth £7,253,849. These sites are:
- Bletchley Park – £2,451,350
- Land of Iron – £655,907
- London Museum of Water & Steam – £2,626,277
- Queen Street Mill – £813,115
- Wheal Martyn Clay Works – £707,200
The £270m package of support will be targeted at organisations in urgent need of financial support to keep them up and running, carry out vital infrastructure work, and improve long term financial resilience. The support includes:
- A fifth round of the Museum Estate and Development (MEND) Fund worth £25 million
- A new £20 million Museum Renewal Fund offering much-needed support to 29 civic museums
- An additional £120 million to continue the Public Bodies Infrastructure Fund
- An additional £15 million for Heritage at Risk through Historic England
- A new £4.85 million Heritage Revival Fund
- A 5% increase to national museums and galleries budgets
- Confirmation that DCMS will be providing £3.2 million in funding through the Museums and Schools Programme, the Heritage Schools Programme, the Art & Design National Saturday Club and the BFI Film Academy.
The Association for Independent Museums (AIM) Director Lisa Ollerhead said, “We very much welcome this significant investment. It is fantastic news for the sector, not least given the pressure the public purse is under. It also underlines the important role museums and heritage organisations play in strengthening our communities, boosting our economy and providing strong foundations for our creative industries.”
The full announcement can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/major-investment-to-boost-growth-and-cement-britains-place-as-cultural-powerhouse
Industrial Heritage Networks 