Corinium Museum receives lifeline grant from Government’s £1.57bn Culture Recovery Fund

Corinium Museum is one of 1,385 cultural and creative organisations across the country receiving urgently needed support. £257 million of investment has been announced today as part of the very first round of the Culture Recovery Fund grants programme being administered by Arts Council England. Further rounds of funding in the cultural and heritage sector are due to be announced over the coming weeks.

Corinium Museum’s principal collection consists of the highly significant finds from the Roman town of Corinium, which attracts approximately 50,000 visitors a year. This funding will enable the Museum to become sustainable by providing support for operational and staffing costs. The Museum will focus on three main strands of cultural activity: visits, exhibitions and digital engagement. The Museum is also in its final stages of National Lottery Heritage Funded project “Stone Age to Corinium” which will create new Stone Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age and Early Roman interactive galleries, due to open at the end of November. Objects that are currently in storage will be conserved and put on display for the first time.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said:

“This funding is a vital boost for the theatres, music venues, museums and cultural organisations that form the soul of our nation. It will protect these special places, save jobs and help the culture sector’s recovery.

“These places and projects are cultural beacons the length and breadth of the country. This unprecedented investment in the arts is proof this government is here for culture, with further support to come in the days and weeks ahead so that the culture sector can bounce back strongly.”

Chair, Arts Council England, Sir Nicholas Serota, said:

“Theatres, museums, galleries, dance companies and music venues bring joy to people and life to our cities, towns and villages. This life-changing funding will save thousands of cultural spaces loved by local communities and international audiences. Further funding is still to be announced and we are working hard to support our sector during these challenging times.”

Cllr Jenny Forde, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing at Cotswold District Council, said:

"This is such a great piece of good news for us in the Cotswolds! We mustn't underestimate the hard work that has to be put into securing funding like this. We are so very lucky to have such a dedicated and committed Museum Director who loves our museum as much as we do and will go to great lengths to secure its future for us.2

Museum Director, Amanda Hart, said:

“We are absolutely thrilled that we have received this Government funding that will ensure the Museum stays open and is able to adapt its ways of working to suit the current circumstances. The museum offers a great place to take a break from the outside world and immerse yourself in a journey through time so we are looking forward to continue to welcome visitors during these uncertain times.  We will also be focussing on our digital programming and visitor experience to give us a good basis on which to serve our community moving forwards."