Shropshire Museums awarded more than £500,000 by Arts Council
An exciting programme to improve museums and attractions for children and young people in Shropshire has been awarded more than £500,000 by the Arts Council.
The Arts Council granted £567,000 for the Shropshire museums service, and acknowledged that it “will make a step change in providing a more inclusive children and young people’s cultural offer and will embed community engagement within their flagship British Museums partnership project, as well as supporting a more inclusive offer for Shropshire museums with a countywide consultation project for smaller museums and co-curated and family friendly touring exhibitions”.
The funding comes from the National Portfolio programme.
Rob Gittins, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for culture and digital, said:-
“The funding from the Arts Council’s National Portfolio scheme will be shared over three years, and allows us to further develop our ambitions to improve and enhance the museum service in Shropshire.
“Last year we were delighted to announce that Shrewsbury Museum & Gallery would be working in partnership with the British Museum to create the UK’s first pre-Roman British Museum Partnership Gallery, and this is exactly the sort of collaboration and partnership working we would like to explore.
“Our innovative approach and keenness to offer children and young people access to cultural programmes and events has been recognised and rewarded. Our team has excelled, and we are looking forward to seeing our programme grow.”
Fay Bailey, Shropshire Council’s museums and archive manager, added:-
“We are absolutely delighted to become a National Portfolio organisation, and wish to extend our thanks to Arts Council England for their support.
“This much needed funding package will help us to develop our partnership with the British Museum, to extend our inclusive volunteering package across Shropshire Council’s cultural venues, and to continue to develop our high-quality programme of co-curated family-friendly exhibitions and events.”
Peter Knott, area director for Arts Council England, said:-
“We’re delighted to be investing in Shropshire Museums and Archives over the next three years. We look forward to seeing our funding help rural communities come together to discover and explore the past.”
Further information
British Museum Partnership Gallery
The British Museum Partnership Gallery, planned to open in 2024, will focus on redeveloping Shrewsbury Museum’s Bronze Age displays to present a dedicated and dynamic narrative of local life from the Ice Age to the Romans. It will utilise long-term loans from the British Museum, as well as displaying more of Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery’s collection through a redistribution of gallery space.
