St Albans City and District Council has been awarded £63,731 by Arts Council England to work with the local community in delivering the city’s museums service.
The grant will be used to fund three new projects that will provide residents with the opportunity to contribute to and shape the museum service.
In addition, feedback from the projects will inform the Council’s ten-year development plan for the Museum of St Albans and Verulamium Museum.
The projects will include a variety of activities which the community can get involved in and will run from October 2012 to March 2013.
They are:
• The Museum’s Youth Forum. This will provide an opportunity for young people aged 14-19 years to take part in fun activities and influence what happens at the museums.
• Stake Your Claim. All members of the community are invited to share their views on what they think is special about St Albans. This can be anything from local buildings to stories that have been passed on from one generation to the next.
• Museum, Or What? Over the next few months, museum staff will be out and about in town, asking people to challenge what a museum is. This will help provide us with a bold vision of what a museum could be in the future.
Councillor Mike Wakely, Portfolio Holder for Sports, Leisure and Heritage for the Council, said: “This money from the Arts Council will help fund community projects that give residents the opportunity to let us know what they want from their local museums. They will include a number of fun activities and feedback from them will help us develop a museums service that meets the needs of the community. It will be used in our Heritage Lottery Funding application to transform the grade II* Town Hall into a state-of-the art museum to celebrate St Albans’ history.”
Helen Lax, East Regional Director, at Arts Council England, said: “We are delighted to be able to support four museums in the East – The Higgins Art Gallery & Museum in Bedford, the Museum of East Anglian Life in Stowmarket, Southend Museums, and St Albans Museums. This funding will assist them to explore ways to grow their business including reaching new audiences and new approaches to income generation and fundraising.”
Councillor contact:
Councillor Mike Wakely, Portfolio Holder for Sports, Leisure and Heritage for St Albans City and District Council
Tel: 01582 764688
Contact for the media:
Amanda Wilkinson,
Media and Internal Communications Officer
St Albans City and District Council
Tel: 01727 819317
E-mail: amanda.wilkinson@stalbans.gov.uk
www.stalbans.gov.uk
Notes:
St Albans City and District Council has agreed a ten-year development plan for the Museum of St Albans and Verulamium Museum.
Phase one will involve moving the Museum of St Albans to the Town Hall in 2016, subject to funding. This new facility in the Grade II* listed Town Hall will enable us to create a vibrant and distinct venue at the heart of St Albans. In the new museum and gallery we will interpret, display and conserve St Albans heritage. We will also host touring, community and art exhibitions and provide new visitor and tourist information facilities.
More information about the
development plan is available on the Council's website.