Black Country Living Museum Celebrates Funding Success
- Museum maps out future plans with funding from Arts Council England
Black Country Living Museum is celebrating a bright future with £263,300 funding secured from the Arts Council of England's Renaissance Strategic Support Fund.
The third round of the Renaissance Strategic Fund supports specific developmental projects within regional museums, with successful applicants demonstrating sustainability, resilience and innovation to attract wider audiences.
The grant will allow the Museum to develop heritage skills apprenticeships for Further Education college students to ensure that essential knowledge and expertise in specialist traditional crafts and heritage skills is preserved and passed on to future generations.
It will also be utilised to create volunteering opportunities for young people aged 16-25 in the Black Country and diversify the Museum’s interpretative range, with the commissioning of bespoke film productions and other new digital projects to enliven the historic properties and complement our existing dynamic living interpretation.
Andrew Lovett, Director and Chief Executive said: “We are delighted to have been successful in our bid; in addition to our plans to develop a volunteer force, the financial backing allows us to establish a 10 year plan for the Museum through which we will aim to become the largest and most significant open-air museum site in the UK.”
Peter Knott, Area Director, Arts Council England, said: “I’m really pleased that Arts Council England can invest in the development of the Black Country Living Museum. Our investment will enable the museum to create a range of new opportunities for young people living in the Black Country, as well as support the growth of its cultural offer to attract and inspire visitors.”
In the first two rounds of the fund, the Arts Council awarded over £36 million towards 181 different projects. The Museum has previously been awarded Renaissance Strategic Support funding in 2012/13 for refurbishment to the Rolfe Street complex and in 2013/14 for the Resilient Leadership programme, a unique course offering mentoring support to emerging leaders in the museum sector.
For further information please contact:
Laura Turner, Public Relations Assistant (Acting) Tel: 0121 521 5692
Mobile 07508 741652 Laura.Turner@bclm.com
About the Museum
Established in 1978, Black Country Living Museum is one of the UK’s leading open-air Museums. Designated by Arts Council England for the quality and national significance of its collections, it is a remarkable place to explore, enjoy and spend time. Set in 26 acres with over 150 historic buildings and features, and attracting 240,000 visitors each year and over 8m people since it first opened, it offers a glimpse into 200 years of history like no other. The Museum (a registered educational charity) records and exemplifies the contribution and impact of the Black Country region since the 18th century to the development of the modern industrialized world. Black Country folk changed the world, and the Museum tells the story of a very special time and place in history and some of the most hard-working, ingenious and influential people you could imagine. It offers a visitor experience that few others can match. www.bclm.com
About Arts Council England
Arts Council England champions, develops and invests in artistic and cultural experiences that enrich people’s lives. We support a range of activities across the arts, museums and libraries – from theatre to digital art, reading to dance, music to literature and crafts to collections. Great art and culture inspires us, brings us together and teaches us about ourselves and the world around us. In short, it makes life better. Between 2010 and 2015, we will invest £1.9 billion of public money from government and an estimated £1.1 billion from the National Lottery to help create these experiences for as many people as possible across the country. www.artscouncil.org.uk
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