Civic museums across England can now apply for a share of the new £20 million Museum Renewal Fund, aimed at boosting access to collections, enhancing educational programmes, and
attracting more visitors to regional institutions.
Launched by Arts Council England, the fund is open to local and regional museums that are linked to local authorities through funding or governance. Applications are open now and will be accepted through to March 2026.
The initiative is designed to support a wide range of projects—from improving public access to collections and museum buildings to expanding community and school engagement. Museums can also apply for support with revenue-generating initiatives, IT upgrades, organisational development, and job creation within local communities.
Grants will range from £10,000 to £1 million. To be eligible, museums must be:
- Fully or partly operated by a Local Authority,
- Managing collections or buildings on behalf of a Local Authority,
- Formerly run by a Local Authority and now operating as an independent trust, or
- Governed by documents that link them to a Local Authority.
Arts Council England Chair Sir Nicholas Serota said the fund would help these valued institutions "address immediate pressures and enable them to look ahead and plan a sustainable future serving their communities."
The Museum Renewal Fund follows last month’s announcement of the £270 million Arts Everywhere Fund, further reinforcing the government’s investment in cultural infrastructure across the country. Photo by Arts Council of Wales office in Colwyn Bay by Jaggery, Wikimedia commons.