• New funding is being awarded to museums and galleries across the country in the next round of funding to support cultural organisations
• Henry Smith MP is urging local museums and galleries to bid for £4 million in new funding to improve their displays and collections
• This new funding from the Government and the Wolfson Foundation will make exhibitions more accessible to level up access to culture

Henry Smith MP is encouraging local museums and galleries to bid for the £4 million in new funding to the Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund to level up access to arts and culture. 

This cash boost will support the improvement of displays, protect collections, and make museums and galleries more accessible to visitors – helping to level up people’s opportunities to participate in and enjoy our culture across the country.

Henry said;

“We have a national cultural heritage of which we can be proud, and every community should be able to visit and appreciate the collections on their doorstep.

“The Government’s extra funding, building on the £48 million that has already supported 415 projects, is a welcome opportunity to widen access to the wonderful and historic collections in our museums and galleries and I urge organisations in Crawley to apply.

“This Government is levelling up culture across the nation – opening the doors to our museums and galleries so that wherever people live they can be proud of our shared history.”

The Wolfson Foundation and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport are contributing extra funding to mark 20 years of the two organisations supporting arts and cultural organisations.

Over the last 20 years the Museum and Galleries Improvement Fund has support 415 projects with £48 million in 350 museums in the UK.

Museums and galleries benefitting from the Fund’s investments have improved access for communities to their local history. Funding awarded has helped to increase opening hours and visitor numbers, so that more people can visit their collections and enjoy our national heritage.

The Government is delivering on its commitment set out in the Levelling Up White Paper to increase cultural spending outside the capital to widen access and boost cultural opportunities.

The Arts Minister, Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay, commented;

“This is a brilliant example of what can be achieved when public funding and private philanthropy come together and I encourage organisations to apply so we can support more museums and galleries to level up people’s access to culture.”