Museums can now apply for £20 million of funding to invest in their future
Source: gov.uk (2025-04-09)

Treasured civic museums supported with new £20 million grant to help safeguard access to local culture and secure their futures

- Funding will ensure museums can continue to serve communities, care for and share collections, and tell our national story at a local level
- Support will boost access to culture, delivering the government’s Plan for Change by increasing opportunities for all
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:

Our local and civic museums are the storytellers of our nation’s history, with a shared mission to educate, inspire and entertain.

They are key to preserving our national heritage at a local level through their collections and creative programmes, which draw in thousands of people from across the country, driving the growth and opportunity central to our Plan for Change. I am delighted that we have been able to provide this support, helping them to continue to flourish.

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:

Regional museums make a vitally important contribution to the way people engage with culture where they live and gain a deeper understanding of their communities and place. It is therefore vital that access to their collections is protected for generations to come. The Museum Renewal Fund will help these cherished institutions address immediate pressures and enable them to look ahead and plan a sustainable future serving their communities.

Notes to editors:

In February, Culture Secretary, Lisa Nandy announced more than £270 million in funding (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/major-investment-to-boost-growth-and-cement-britains-place-as-cultural-powerhouse) for arts venues, museums, libraries and the heritage sector in a major boost for growth.

The online portal (https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/our-application-portal-grantium) to apply for the Museum Renewal Fund will open at 10am on 9 April 2025. Full guidance, including eligibility criteria and details of how to apply can be found on the Arts Council England website (https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/our-open-funds/museum-renewal-fund-2025-26/museum-renewal-fund-2025-26-guidance-applicants).

This Fund is intended to safeguard public access to nationally and regionally significant collections at risk, as set out in the eligibility criteria (https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/our-open-funds/museum-renewal-fund-2025-26). Museum Renewal grantees will be expected to undertake additional work to boost business and financial sustainability beyond 31 March 2026.