Precious artwork to be safeguarded thanks to £175,000 lottery funding
Bradford Council has been awarded £175,000 to help safeguard its precious artwork for the future.
Bradford’s Museums and Galleries service holds a collection of almost a million items, ranging from priceless pieces of art to photographs of the city’s past.
Much of this artwork is kept in council owned storage buildings in the district – buildings described as “increasingly not for for purpose.”
Now the council has been awarded a £175,040 grant by the National Lottery to improve this storage and preserve the artwork for future generations.
The project is called Collections Reimagined: Preserving Our Past, Protecting Our Future and will help develop “the most appropriate and sustainable long term storage solution for the collections.”
The council has acquired artwork over the past 120 years – and has a vast collection.
Despite the authority operating four museums and galleries, there is only enough space to display a fraction of this collection.
A statement from the National Lottery Heritage Fund said: “The council-run Bradford District Museums & Galleries hold a significant collection of nearly one million objects spanning art, social history, industrial heritage, world cultures, archaeology, photography, and natural sciences.
“Approximately 40 per cent of the collections are currently held in external stores, but these buildings are increasingly not fit for purpose and could present risks to the long-term preservation of some collections
“The National Lottery funding will enable the project to determine the most appropriate and sustainable long term storage solution for the collections to ensure that they will be safeguarded for the future.
“This will sit alongside community consultation and engagement activities to ensure that local people will have opportunities to connect with the heritage that has shaped where they live.”
Councillor Ian Walker, Bradford Council’s executive member for neighbourhoods and communities, said: “Our museums boast an incredible collection that is not only significant to the Bradford district, but across the whole of the UK.
“Safeguarding that heritage is incredibly important and we’re thrilled to have the support of The National Lottery Heritage Fund to embark on the first steps to ensuring they will be cared for and preserved for future generations.”
Helen Featherstone, director for England North at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said:“The Bradford district has an incredibly rich history encompassing a breadth of heritage, including nature and strong community stories.
"We’re delighted to be supporting this project, thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, to ensure this important heritage is shared, celebrated, and protected for years to come.”