Yorkshire museums to get £3.5m funding boost

York Castle Museum is one of the attractions set to benefit from funding

Museums in Yorkshire are set to benefit from a funding boost after the government announced more than £3.5m for improvements.

Museums minister Baroness Twycross said heritage attractions across England would share £20m in grants to ensure they remain open.

Among those are York Museums Trust, Leeds Museums and Galleries, Sheffield Museums Trust, Bradford Museums and Galleries and Hull Culture and Leisure.

The Museum Renewal Fund, from from Arts Council England and the Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS), will be distributed between 75 local and regional museums.

York will receive £1m, one of the biggest grants.

The city's trust said it would use the cash to invest in York Castle Museum, which has previously reported financial troubles.

Kathryn Blacker, CEO of York Museums Trust, said she was grateful for the "vital and generous" support.

"It enables us to plan with confidence, invest in our resilience, and continue to enhance the offer at York Castle Museum for all visitors," she said.

"Museums are more than buildings - they are spaces where communities come together to learn, enjoy and connect.

"In the face of growing economic pressures, this funding provides vital support to help us sustain our work today and invest in new ways for the future."

Leeds Art Gallery will receive funding to redevelop the site

In Leeds, museums have been awarded £952,000, which will support 10 planned projects.

They include safeguarding Abbey House Museum, redeveloping Leeds Art Gallery and setting up a new social enterprise cafe at Leeds Industrial Museum.

David Hopes, Leeds Museums and Galleries' head of service, said: "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."

Doncaster is set to receive £116,000, which will help to support Cusworth Hall and Park.

Nick Stopforth, head of heritage and culture, said: "This vital funding will strengthen the site's long-term commercial sustainability by enabling the creation of a comprehensive commercial plan, expanding volunteering opportunities and exploring future possibilities."

'Increase opportunities'

According to the DCMS, the fund aims to strengthen the museums and ensure that local communities have access to culture "for generations to come".

It is part of the £270m Arts Everywhere Fund and the government's wider Plan For Change to support economic growth and increase opportunities.

Twycross said: "Museums offer a place where people from all backgrounds can learn, be inspired and delve into our rich history, helping to understand the stories that led us to where we are today.

"The Museum Renewal Fund is contributing to the delivery of our plan for change.

"It ensures much-loved civic museums can remain open and continue to provide opportunities for future generations to learn about our shared heritage and how their local community has played its part in our national story."

The full list of museum operators receiving funding in Yorkshire is:

• Hull Culture and Leisure - £272,095

• Sheffield Museums Trust - £708,064

• Bradford Museums and Galleries - £125,000

• Wakefield Museums & Pontefract Castle - £82,807

• York Museums Trust - £1,000,000

• Leeds Museums and Galleries - £952,000

• Ilkley Manor House Trust - £16,782

• Barnsley Museum - £266,273

• Doncaster Heritage Services - £116,000.

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