How £8m gallery revamp
was 
secured

Following a successful bid York Museums Trust was awarded £3.5m towards the £8m needed for the refurbishment.

It was a private donation of £2m which first set the wheels in motion, with further support from York Council, The Foyle Foundation and other organisations.

But the Arts Council England allocation proved vital in allowing work to begin on the landmark development, which is increasing exhibition space by 60 per cent and creating of a new Centre for Ceramic Art.

A new first-floor gallery will be built in the space above the main gallery on the ground floor, expanding into the rooms next door formerly occupied by the City Archives.

There will be a further three exhibition galleries on the ground floor, capable of hosting major national and international exhibitions, and four on the first floor, two of which will showcase York’s collection of British Studio Ceramics.

The museum gardens are also being transformed into a public green space for recreation and outdoor learning.

A spokesman for York 
Museums Trust said: “The initial trigger for this project becoming a reality was a £2m private 
legacy.

“This put the trust in a 
strong position to then apply to funders for the rest of the £8m needed.

“The £3.5m from Arts Council England made up a significant chunk of this and their 
backing also proved invaluable when seeking the rest of the funds.”

The refurbished gallery is expected to boost tourism to the city when it re-opens in spring 2015.