Museum receives grant from second round of the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund

The Museum of East Anglian Life in Stowmarket, Suffolk has received a grant of £165,105 from the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund to help the organisation recover and reopen.

More than £300 million has been awarded to thousands of cultural organisations across the country including the Museum of East Anglian Life in the latest round of support from the Culture Recovery Fund, the Culture Secretary announced today.

The museum is an open-air museum located in Stowmarket, in the heart of Suffolk. It is an independent, educational charity which tells stories through historic buildings, a 75-acre estate, animals, gardens and a collection of 40,000 objects. Through their collection, they seek to engage people with where their food comes from.

This funding will continue to support the museum as it looks to reopen fully on the 17^th of May. It will help the museum to safely open its doors to visitors and to create a responsive programme of events, exhibitions and activities for the year ahead.

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 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.”

Museum Director, Jenny Cousins, said:

‘We’re really pleased to have been awarded this support, which will help us survive the loss of income during the closed period, and to restart our many exciting volunteering and exhibition programmes this summer.’

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.