A £4million Government funding boost for museums and galleries nationally will benefit two tourist attractions in the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership’s area.
Matt Hancock, Minister of State for Digital and Culture, has today (January 17) announced grants totaling £4million in a partnership between the UK Government and the Wolfson Foundation – an independent charity which supports and promotes science, health, education and the arts & humanities.
Two venues in the D2N2 LEP area of Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire have received grant funding as a result of this partnership.
Derby Museums in Derby will receive £125,000 and Newstead Abbey, Nottinghamshire has been granted £75,000.
D2N2 is a private sector-led partnership of businesses, local authorities, skills and training providers, and community and voluntary organisations. Its ambitions include creating 55,000 new jobs in ten years (by 2023) across its eight key commercial sectors; ones which are particularly strong in the D2N2 area or have the potential to be so.
One of these key sectors is the Visitor Economy, which looks at ways to increase and improve what Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire can offer to its visitors.
The grant of £75,000 to Newstead Abbey announced today will be used to create an accessible exhibition, to allow more people to see what it has to offer. The £125,000 awarded to Derby Museums will look to build on its ‘your place in the world’ exhibition.
In addition to this, D2N2 recently made a bid for £3.7million to help renovate and transform Derby Silk Mill – part of Derby Museums – with new and refurbished exhibitions, meeting and retail spaces and workshops for small and start-up businesses. The result of this bid to Government, one of a number submitted by D2N2 to the third round of Local Growth Fund monies made available by Government, should be known shortly.
Derby Museums and other art galleries and museums involved in The Grand Tour – a Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire cultural initiative which exhibited ‘old masters’ alongside contemporary works – also benefited from D2N2’s investment of £35,000 in The Grand Tour’s first two seasons.
Matt Hancock, Minister for Digital and Culture, said:, “We want people to be able to enjoy world-leading culture wherever they live and whatever their background. These grants will make an important contribution toward increasing access to their wonderful collections and improving the visitor experience at museums right across the country.”
David Ralph, D2N2 LEP Chief Executive, added: “The D2N2 area has some truly amazing and compelling offers for visitors. I welcome today’s Government announcement to invest in two of the many attractions in our area and hope that our own Growth Deal submission will be met with similar success.”
For more information on the recently announced museum improvement grants, and to see a full list of beneficiaries, visit the Gov.Uk website HERE.
Further information on D2N2’s recent Growth Deal submission, can be found at www.d2n2lep.org/News/426million-investment-bid-by-d2n2-to-boost-economy-and-jobs
For more information on Derby Museums, visit its website at https://derbymuseums.org/ and to learn more about Newstead Abbey see its website at www.newsteadabbey.org.uk.
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Sean Kirby D2N2 Communications Manager 01159 578749 |  | Sam Burbage D2N2 Social Media and Marketing Officer 01159 578254 | ||
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