Collecting Cultures

Grants for strategic collecting projects

The aims of Collecting Cultures are to:

• support the development of collections and their

use through strategic acquisition programmes, related research and public programmes,

• enhance the professional knowledge and skills of staff working in museums, libraries and archives,

• use strategic collecting programmes to support the funded museums, libraries and archives to increase resilience as an organisation.

Who can apply?

• Museums – same as first programme

• Archives – including film and sound archives

• Libraries with specialist heritage collections, eg cathedral, university and some public libraries

Eligibility

• collections acquired need to be held in public ownership for the long term.

• we ask you to demonstrate that you can meet the standards of governance, collections care and access as outlined in museum accreditation and archives accreditation.

• if you are not within an accreditation scheme then you should supply policies which show you are meeting these standards.

Essence of the programme

We give grants for projects that:

• develop collections strategically over time, through programmes of targeted acquisition.

• develop the skills of staff through increasing collections knowledge and experience of acquisition.

• promote the use of the collection by engaging new and existing audiences through activities and events

• build organisational resilience through new partnerships and networks

The programme has six outcomes

Outcomes for heritage • better managed • better interpreted and explained Outcomes for people • learnt about heritage • developed skills Outcomes for communities • more people and a wider range of people will have

engaged with heritage • your organisation will be more resilient

Key features of Collecting Cultures

• one off, single round programme• £5 million budget• spread across museums, libraries and archives• minimum grant £50,000• maximum grant £500,000• 50% of grant must be spent on acquisition• projects of up to 5 years

Deadline for applications – 2 May 2014

What we could fund

• acquisition costs including fees for purchase and valuation

• essential conservation or cataloguing costs for newly acquired items

• skills development costs for staff • activity costs for engaging audiences• exhibition costs

Collecting Cultures is not for you if:

• your project doesn’t focus on acquiring portable heritage

• you only want to acquire a small number of one-off items

• the acquired items do not fill a strategic gap in your collections

• you are not planning activities to help people engage with and learn about the collections

Previous experience of acquisition is not needed

• cohort of Collecting Cultures projects provides support – regular cohort meetings and plans for an online community

• we can provide lessons learnt from the first Collecting Cultures programme

Making an application

Summary

You submit two main documents to us:

• pre-application form (before 3 March)

• an application form (before 2 May)– your plans for acquisition– an activity plan detailing skills development and engagement– how you will meet the programme outcomes– firm budget– how you will develop your plans for acquisition once you

receive your grant

The programme has six outcomes

Outcomes for heritage • better managed • better interpreted and explained Outcomes for people • learnt about heritage • developed skills Outcomes for communities • more people and a wider range of people will have

engaged with heritage • your organisation will be more resilient

Acquisition planning

Your plans for acquisition should include:

– description of the collection you wish to develop, its context and importance,

– outline of type of items you envisage acquiring, including cost estimates based on recent sale results.

– how you will research and monitor the market during your project to find items to purchase,

– a budget for acquisition, based on estimate purchase prices and associated fees, including the cost of valuation advice.

Activity planning

Your activity plan should include;

– details of the skills development your project will deliver for staff in your organisation,

– details of the engagement activities your project will deliver to promote the active use of the collection you are developing

Partnership applications

• partnerships a strong feature of first Collecting Cultures programme

• this new Collecting Cultures programme opens potential for partnership applications involving museums, libraries and archives

• partners need to decide who will acquire (acquiring partners need to meet the eligibility standard)

• non-acquiring partners could be a variety of organisations.

Learning from others

First Collecting Cultures programme

First Collecting Cultures programme

– 22 projects supported across UK

– total of £3.14m awarded

– grants up to £200,000

– targeted at museums

Collecting Cultures first programme example

• Gallery Oldham and The Harris Museum and Art Gallery (HLF grant £82,000) targeted gaps in their collections of 20th century studio ceramics

• research time at project start developed expertise/ specialism in field

• partnership structure helped acquisition decisions• enabled engagement with target groups

Collecting Cultures first programme example

• Museum of English Rural Life (HLF grant £95,000) collected items reflecting 20th century life in the countryside

• challenged themselves to look at rural culture in a new way - triggering a re-balancing of existing collections

• enabled wider engagement, on new themes with new audiences

• developed new partnerships

Collecting Cultures first programme example

• Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery (HLF grant £199,500) to fill gaps in archaeology collections

• targeted Treasure items - almost 200 acquisitions

• networks developed led to increased object donation

• engagement with wider range of school groups

Collecting Cultures first programme example

• Chepstow and Monmouth Museums (HLF grant £200,000) developing collections related to the Wye Tour – wide range of items

• used additional grant funding to match fund high value items

• performance based interpretation raised awareness

• broadened museums’ profile and networks

Collecting Cultures new programme timetable

– Deadline for applications: 2 May 2014

– HLF Board makes decisions: 30 September 2014

– Projects begin: October 2014

– Projects complete: October 2019

For more information

Visit the Collecting Cultures page on our website to find application guidance and an evaluation of the first Collecting Cultures programme:

http://www.hlf.org.uk/HowToApply/programmes/Pages/CollectingCultures.aspx

Queries & Advice in Scotland

Megan Braithwaite – Development Officermegan.braithwaite@hlf.org.uk0131 240 1586@HLFScotland