City’s museums welcome continued funding

Leeds Museums & Galleries have secured essential funding today after a successful grant offer of support from Arts Council England.

The grant that sees Leeds Museums & Galleries continue as a National Portfolio Organisation means they will receive £1,619,256 of funding each year from ACE for the years 2023-26.

The crucial funding will be used to continue to support a number of jobs across the service as well as a programme of audience engagement, programming and improvements to venues planned over the coming years.

The country’s largest local authority run museums service, Leeds Museums and Galleries runs nine venues which collectively welcome more than a million visitors each year.

Among the venues operated by the service are Temple Newsam House, a stunning 500 year-old Tudor-Jacobean Mansion, which recently celebrated a century of public ownership, and Leeds Art Gallery, home to a world class collection of classic and modern art.

The service is also responsible for Kirkstall Abbey, one of England's best preserved Cistercian monasteries and the Leeds Discovery centre, a state-of-the-art storage facility which is home to more than a million objects, and which welcomes educational visits throughout the year from local schools.

A number of other organisations in the city have also been successful in receiving significant amounts of ACE funding, with Leeds as a whole set to see a 34% increase in the value of investment from Arts Council England.

Councillor Jonathan Pryor, Leeds City Council’s executive member for economy, culture and education, said: “We’re incredibly grateful for the support shown by Arts Council England and for the statement their continued endorsement makes about the importance of museums, arts and culture to our city and its communities.

“More than a million people visit our museums and galleries each year, taking the opportunity to experience millions of years of history and heritage through a truly unique collection of exhibits, artefacts and artworks.

“This crucial grant funding allows us to not only continue to provide that experience but to also look ahead to how we can find new and innovative ways to inspire and engage our visitors both digitally and in person while raising the profile of our city and everything it has to offer.

“I’m also delighted to see that Leeds as a whole will see a 34% increase in the value of investment from Arts Council England to organisations based in the city. This is a huge vote of confidence in our cultural sector, the work that they programme and produce and how they engage with our communities. We can’t wait to showcase that amazing talent to the world next year during our Year of Culture, LEEDS 2023.”

Applications for funding were made through ACE’s Let’s Create national strategy, where organisations were tasked with demonstrating how the work they do will contribute to the principles of inclusivity and relevance, ambition and quality, dynamism, and environmental responsibility.

The funding offer is now subject to approval by officers and agreement with ACE.

For more information on Leeds Museums & Galleries, please visit: https://museumsandgalleries.leeds.gov.uk

ENDS