A £13.6 million Museum Transformation Programme, is being delivered by Arts Council England on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
Non-national Accredited museums in England, with an established link to a local authority, can now access guidance for a new Arts Council England (ACE) fund. The £13.6 million Museum Transformation Programme, which is being delivered by Arts Council England on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, will support these museums to deliver work that will increase their long-term financial resilience and operational sustainability.
Funding can be used for a range of work, including:
Digital transformation
Organisational change
Sustainability improvements
Guidance for the Museum Transformation Programme has been published, ahead of the application portal opening on 1 September. Applications will close on 30 September, and the funding period will run from 2027-2030.
Museums may find the Frequently Asked Questions page useful:
Is our museum eligible for this funding?
To be eligible for this fund, museums must meet both of the following criteria:
Be an Arts Council England-Accredited museum (excluding National Museums), whether funded via the Arts Council National Portfolio or not
Evidence the museum has an established relationship with a Local Authority.
What is “an established relationship” with a Local Authority?
Applicants will have four means of demonstrating an established relationship with an LA:
a. Wholly owned or operated by LAs, or
b. Previously wholly owned or operated by LAs and are now operating as independent trusts, or
c. Manage collections and buildings on behalf of LAs, for example as an independent charitable trust operating council-owned buildings, or
d. A governance link to a LA, for example where a LA has a right to appoint a councillor to the board of an independent museum trust, reflecting an established relationship, or where the museum organisation has had a sustained financial relationship with a LA at a point in its history, beyond ad hoc grants.
Published Date:
Newsletter Sign Up
To receive regular updates on our training, support programmes and grants please sign up for our newsletter.