A museum at the heart of Suffolk is celebrating after being awarded £590,000 and the prestigious National Portfolio organisation status by Arts Council England.
The Museum of East Anglian Life, in Stowmarket, is one of 183 new organisations which has been welcomed into the portfolio of 831 arts and culture organisations. Museums and libraries have been included for the first time this year.
The Museum of East Anglian Life, off Iliffe Way, has been awarded £147,500 a year for four years.
The funding will support three new programmes at the museum:
• Becoming Local – A new contemporary exhibition programme at the museum created with local people. It will explore contemporary issues and how the region has changed and is still changing.
• Golden Ticket – The museum will offer every 12-year-old in Mid Suffolk a free experience day at the museum to try out a day of practical activities, ranging from beekeeping to astronomy.
• Wiki-thon – In a bid to improve how East Anglia is represented on the web, the museum will use their collections and history, to train and work with volunteers to research and tell the story of the region online.
The funding comes as the museum gears up to mark its 50th anniversary in July.
Jenny Cousins, director of the museum, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to join the National Porfolio. It’s a real vote of confidence in the museum and its potential to do exciting and innovative programming to get people involved with culture and heritage and experience the personal and community benefits that brings.
“The Museum of East Anglian Life is a showcase for the region and we want to involve as many people as possible in making it a place which celebrates the best of what East Anglia has to offer.”
Tony Goldson, Suffolk County Council cabinet member with responsibility for arts and libraries said: “Suffolk County Council is delighted that Arts Council England is increasing its investment in Suffolk.
“We know that our arts, libraries and museums are both locally cherished and nationally celebrated. We are proud to work closely with these organisations, to co-invest in them and to see their role in our communities’ wellbeing grow and flourish.”
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