A collaboration of museums in Dorset and Wiltshire celebrated the inauguration of a new three-year programme of exhibitions and community engagement at a special event held at the STEAM Museum in Swindon.
Wessex Museums successfully secured National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) funding from Arts Council England for the years 2023 to 2026, including additional funding focused on activities in Swindon.
Over the course of three years, the partner museums, including Poole Museum, Dorset Museum, The Salisbury Museum, Wiltshire Museum, Swindon Museum & Art Gallery, STEAM – Museum of the Great Western Railway, and Lydiard House Museum, will receive £1.3 million to implement a collaborative programme.
This programme aims to enhance their collections, engage diverse local communities, deliver exciting events and exhibitions, and champion equality, diversity, and inclusion as well as environmental sustainability.
Kristina Broughton, Chief Executive Officer of Wessex Museums Trust, expressed her excitement about the new programme, saying, “We are thrilled to launch our new work programme for 2023-26, supported by Arts Council England.
“Wessex Museums has long recognised the added value that partnerships can bring to our museums, and this new programme will continue in that spirit. Importantly, it will also expand our reach to Swindon, allowing us to connect with and inspire more people across the breadth of Wessex through our museums.”
Councillor Marina Strinkovsky, Cabinet Member for Culture, Art and Heritage at Swindon Borough Council, expressed her enthusiasm, stating, “This is fantastic news for Swindon and couldn’t have come at a better time.
“We are fully focused on reopening the Museum and Art Gallery in its new location at the Civic Offices. Our aim is to fulfill the objectives set by the new museum partnership.
“Collaborating with other museums will help us make our outstanding collections more accessible, ensuring that more local residents can enjoy them. It will also attract visitors from the wider region, who will appreciate the rich art and history of Swindon.”
Frances Yeo, Swindon Museums Manager, added, “We are delighted to join Wessex Museums and work collaboratively across the partnership. The funding from Arts Council England will enable Swindon Museums to enhance community engagement programs, facilitate collections loans, and develop ambitious joint exhibition initiatives with our partner museums across the region.”
Since attaining NPO status in 2018, Wessex Museums has implemented an ambitious collaborative program encompassing community engagement, cross-partnership events, and exhibitions, including the highly successful Hardy’s Wessex exhibition, which spanned four venues.
The Arts Council‘s investment for the years 2023 to 2026 aims to benefit 990 organisations, ensuring that creativity and culture can be enjoyed by more people in various locations.
To learn more, visit www.wessexmuseums.org.uk.
