Museum to receive £239,721 from second round of the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund
2 April 2021
The National Football Museum is delighted to have received a grant of £239,721 from the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund to help the organisation recover and reopen.
The museum holds the largest collection of football objects on public display in the world. It will use the award for a new Hall of Fame exhibition which will celebrate the achievements of those who’ve made a significant contribution to the game, both on and off the pitch. There will also be supporting online content and community programming to ensure the exhibition reaches as wide an audience as possible.
More than £300 million has been awarded to thousands of cultural organisations across the country in the latest round of support from the Culture Recovery Fund.
Over £800 million in grants and loans has already been awarded to support almost 3,800 cinemas, performance venues, museums, heritage sites and other cultural organisations dealing with the immediate challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.
The museum is aiming to reopen in May with a dedicated Hall of Fame exhibition, showcasing the key figures who have had a significant impact on the game of our lives.
The second round of awards made today will help organisations to look ahead to the spring and summer and plan for reopening and recovery. After months of closures and cancellations to contain the virus and save lives, this funding will be a much-needed helping hand for organisations transitioning back to normal in the months ahead.
Culture Secretary, Oliver Dowden, said:
“Our record breaking Culture Recovery Fund has already helped thousands of culture and heritage organisations across the country survive the biggest crisis they've ever faced.
Now we’re staying by their side as they prepare to welcome the public back through their doors - helping our cultural gems plan for reopening and thrive in the better times ahead."
Chief Executive of the National Football Museum Tim Desmond said:
In football terms we are over the moon with this vital funding. Thanks to the support of DCMS and ACE we will now be able to reopen our doors in May with a brand new exhibition and supporting digital content, enabling us to reach an even wider demographic. The team here are very much looking forward to welcoming our visitors back.
Sir Nicholas Serota, Chair, Arts Council England, said:
“Investing in a thriving cultural sector at the heart of communities is a vital part of helping the whole country to recover from the pandemic. These grants will help to re-open theatres, concert halls, and museums and will give artists and companies the opportunity to begin making new work.
We are grateful to the Government for this support and for recognising the paramount importance of culture to our sense of belonging and identity as individuals and as a society.”
The funding awarded today is from a £400 million pot which was held back last year to ensure the Culture Recovery Fund could continue to help organisations in need as the public health picture changed. The funding has been awarded by Arts Council England, as well as Historic England and National Lottery Heritage Fund and the British Film Institute.
Main image courtesy of the FA.
