Securing a bright future for museums in England

Yesterday (10 September) we embarked on a revitalised partnership with the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to improve support for museums in England, as a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by our Chair, Sir Nicholas Serota, and Sir Peter Luff, Chair of the Heritage Lottery Fund.

This agreement follows recommendations set out in the Mendoza Review, which states that the challenges faced by museums require a more joined-up approach between DCMS, Arts Council England and HLF to make best use of the resources available.

As the national development agency for museums in England, we are taking a leading role in delivering the priorities identified in the Mendoza Review. In formalising our relationship and developing a collective strategy with Heritage Lottery Fund, this MoU will enable both our organisations to achieve the best possible outcomes for museums and their audiences across England.

Together, we will:

• Develop a better understanding of the support each organisation offers to generate a shared strategic approach for museums
• Seek to make it easier for museums to work with our two organisations, providing greater clarity on who to approach for different needs, and, wherever possible, aligning our funding processes and programmes to ensure maximum impact
• Share national and local intelligence and data to enable better informed decision-making, particularly in relation to achieving efficient use of National Lottery funding, by taking into account shared and individual priorities and developing a mutual approach to priority places 

Sir Nicholas Serota, Chair, Arts Council England, said: “The Arts Council is pleased to be working with the Heritage Lottery Fund to strengthen our support for England’s museums. Through their collections and knowledge, they open our eyes to the wonders and challenges of the world and can help us find our place in it. I hope that, together, we can help museums meet the challenges they face and ensure that more people are able to benefit from the excellent museums across this country.”

Sir Peter Luff, Chair, Heritage Lottery Fund, said: “Museums are not just an important part of England’s heritage, but they provide precious public services, from education to community engagement. HLF is proud to be working together with the Arts Council to offer the most insight and informed support to deliver the most impact for the museums sector. Through shared learning and practice, we will be able to invest National Lottery players’ money in the most effective way to see English museums of all sizes thrive for future generations.”

Michael Ellis, Minister for Arts, Heritage and Tourism, said: “Our local and national museums are some of the best in the world, and I am determined we continue to increase their reach to new audiences. By bringing their leadership and expertise together, Arts Council England and Heritage Lottery Fund will play an even greater role in supporting our country’s museums, both large and small, to thrive well into the future.”