Abbey House Museum in Kirkstall has secured a slice of almost a million pounds in funding to help safeguard its future.
Leeds Museums and Galleries has today been awarded a total of £952,000 following a successful Arts Council England funding bid.
The fund is aimed at providing urgent support to museums which are owned and directly maintained by local authority funding, helping them deliver projects to safeguard vital community engagement and ensure continued public access to museums and their collections.
The crucial funding will support a total of ten projects being planned by Leeds Museums and Galleries.
One of the projects will focus on Abbey House Museum, producing a long-term development plan that will work towards safeguarding the museum’s future.
Leeds Museums and Galleries will work with a design and architectural specialists to reimagine the visitor experience and embed play at the heart of the museum, as well as improving accessibility throughout.
Plans by cash-strapped Leeds City Council to close Abbey House Museum were thwarted earlier this year following a major community campaign.
A public meeting with city councillors to update people on progress made on securing the future of Abbey House Museum will be held on Sunday, 19 October from 10.30am-12.00pm. Tickets are free, and can be booked here.
Plans for a new social enterprise café at Leeds Industrial Museum in Armley will also go ahead as part of the funding.
Other projects include a strategic review of Leeds Museums and Galleries, which will engage communities in finding out what they value most about museums, review operating models and help set the future direction of the service.
David Hopes, Leeds Museums and Galleries’ head of service, said: “We are so grateful to Arts Council England for their continued support and these essential funds to help stabilise our future.
“These development projects will see us make long term plans with the people of Leeds for the sustainability of their museum service, as well as providing fantastic visitor experiences and meaningful engagement for the people of the city and beyond.”
Earlier this year, an economic impact report compiled by Leeds Museums and Galleries revealed that council-run sites in Leeds generated £47.3m boost to the local economy over the past year.
Salma Arif, Leeds City Council’s executive member for adult social care, active lifestyles and culture, said: “This funding award is fantastic news for our museums and galleries and a massive endorsement of the superb work they are doing to showcase history, heritage and culture to hundreds of thousands of people every year.
“Securing this hugely important funding will support our dedicated and passionate teams on site to form exciting plans for the future, creating a series of new, and engaging experiences for our visitors and showcasing Leeds as a top cultural destination.”
Also benefiting from the funding award will be Leeds Art Gallery. Building on a visioning study and proprietary plans to redevelop the gallery and create a larger world-renowned site, these funds will support the creation of an accompanying business plan and market analysis.
Other projects which can progress thanks to the funding include a study into the best use of space in Leeds City Museum, and research into sustaining the visitor experience at 500-year-old Temple Newsam House.
- Follow WLD‘s ongoing coverage of Abbey House Museum here.
- WLD has been following local and government cuts in West Leeds via its Cutswatch series here.
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