Dorset County Museum has been awarded a £187,401 Capital Kickstart grant as part of the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund enabling the organisation to push forward with the Tomorrow’s Museum for Dorset project despite the financial challenge caused by the Covid-19 crisis.
Dorset County Museum is one of 74 organisations receiving grants totalling £58.9 million today. The Capital Kickstart grants programme helps organisations cover costs added to capital projects such as building works, refurbishments, and large-scale equipment purchases by pandemic-related delays or fundraising shortfalls.
We are also delighted to announce today that we have been awarded £979,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. This means that with the donations so far from our public appeal there is only £50,000 to raise of our overall £15.1-million-pound target.
Since 2018, builders, architects, electricians, gallery designers, and curators have been hard at work bringing together the new reimagined and inspirational galleries which will collectively tell the story of 250 million years of Dorset’s history and display collections of National and International significance. These collective sums are greatly received. Covid-19 has had a dramatic effect on progress during 2020, with builders and staff following social distancing and lockdown rules. This has led to reopening being postponed until 2021, and has also meant that the costs to bring the new museum to life have increased.
Patron of the Tomorrow’s Museum for Dorset project, Lord Julian Fellowes of West Stafford said:
“The total reinvention of the Dorset County Museum has been a fantastically exciting project from the start, and it is especially heartening that the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England have both recognised this in such a generous fashion. It will prove an important addition to our lives in this part of England. I was first drawn into the proposed plans by the extraordinary discovery of the survival of the Rev. John White’s rectory, where he dreamed up the colonising of what became Massachusetts in the seventeenth century, but with that as my starting point, I was soon intrigued by every aspect of the scheme which will bring a whole new and rewarding experience to the town and the surrounding area. This is a very interesting county, with a rich history, both natural and man-made, which the new museum will celebrate, in as detailed and enthralling a way as anyone could wish. I can’t wait for it to open.”
Director of Dorset County Museum, Dr Jon Murden said:
“The faith shown in us by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England is extremely gratifying. Their combined additional contributions of over £1.2 million towards the Tomorrow’s Museum for Dorset project, has helped us overcome the additional costs and delays which have been caused solely by the Covid-19 crisis. We are so very grateful to them for their support, and their continued recognition of the significance of this major cultural project for Dorset. The importance of the story of this place, its heritage and its people, is reflected in their generosity. And as we move towards the completion of the construction phases of the project, I cannot wait to throw open our doors early in 2021, and finally share the new museum with everyone”.
Culture Secretary, Oliver Dowden, said:
“This government promised it would be here for culture and today’s announcement is proof we’ve kept our word. The £1 billion invested so far through the Culture Recovery Fund has protected tens of thousands of jobs at cultural organisations across the UK, with more support still to come through a second round of applications. Today we’re extending a huge helping hand to the crown jewels of UK culture – so that they can continue to inspire future generations all around the world.”
Sir Nicholas Serota, Chair of Arts Council England said:
“Today’s announcement is another vital step in securing the future of England’s cultural sector. Supporting capital projects will help to ensure that we maintain an innovative, sustainable cultural infrastructure that supports world class creative work, while the loans announced today will enable some of our largest and most prestigious cultural organisations to weather the effects of Covid-19 and reopen when it is safe to do so. The Arts Council is grateful to the Government for their support through the Culture Recovery Fund, and we are proud to support all the organisations receiving funding today.”
Phil Gibby, Area Director, South West, Arts Council England said:
“We are really pleased to announce seven awards from the Culture Recovery Fund: Capital Kickstart across the South West today. This latest tranche of funding to be announced from the Government’s generous package of support for the arts, culture and heritage sector ensures that many of the regions ambitious and ongoing cultural developments – that have been delayed due to Covid-19 – can now securely get back on track to reopening and serving their communities with fantastic cultural experiences.”
