Museums Awarded Over £237k To Support Resilience And Sustainability
Eight museums and galleries across Scotland have been awarded over £237K by Museums Galleries Scotland to support their resilience to the cost of living crisis as vital spaces for communities.
Increasing sustainability, making energy saving measures and improvements as community spaces are at the forefront of the 8 projects funded through round one of the Scottish Government supported Resilience Fund. The fund is delivered by Museums Galleries Scotland (MGS), the national development body for the sector.
As spaces that offer free or low cost exhibitions, activities and events, museums are important for their communities to meet in and enjoy, and for supporting tourism. The cost of living crisis, energy crisis, and the wider challenging economic context is making these spaces more vital than ever, but museums have been severely hit by rising costs. MGS is delivering the Resilience Fund, thanks to support from the Scottish Government, which aims to enable the sector to prioritise activity that increases their resilience and long-term sustainability.
Six of the funded projects are focusing on energy efficiency measures and carbon emissions reduction in order to reduce costs and support Scotland’s journey to Net Zero. The fund is supporting a range of sustainability initiatives, from installing solar panels at the Grampian Transport Museum, to helping to engage young people and the local community in carbon reduction through activities at the Devil’s Porridge Museum.
Energy efficiency measures undertaken by museums have the added impact of creating warmer, more inviting spaces for their local communities. Comunn Eachdraidh Nis on the Isle of Lewis will use their grant to make energy efficiency improvements and turn their museum cafe into a warm, comfortable place for their community with free hot drinks, advice, and activities for young children.
As well as energy saving reductions some of the funded projects have focused on building financial resilience. Museums & Galleries Edinburgh are using their grant to look at strategic income generation opportunities, whilst The Highlanders’ Museum will be making changes to their space to better welcome visitors, hold events, and generate income.
As museums continue to navigate an extremely challenging economic climate MGS welcomes the recent announcement from Culture Minister Neil Gray that an additional £500,000 will be provided this financial year. The additional funding will help tackle ongoing cost of living challenges facing the sector and enable more energy efficiency projects to be funded across Scotland.
“Museums and galleries across Scotland are continuing to serve their communities despite a multitude of challenges. I’m delighted that the Resilience Fund will support museums to make impactful changes that will support their financial and environmental sustainability, so that they can continue to be places for enjoyment, relaxation, and education for everyone.”
Lucy Casot, CEO of Museums Galleries Scotland
8 museums and galleries have been awarded a share of £237,737. They are:
- Comunn Eachdraidh Nis (£17,164) They will use their grant to make energy saving improvements and turn their museum cafe into a warm, comfortable place for their community with free hot drinks, advice, and activities for young children.
- Devil’s Porridge Museum (£31,273) The award will support installation of solar panels on the museum’s roof and activities with young people and the local community to help reduce carbon in the Eastriggs area.
- Dundee Heritage Trust (Discovery Point and Verdant Works) (£34,123) Energy efficiency improvements and carbon reduction measures will be made at both Discovery Point and Verdant Works.
- Grampian Transport Museum (£30,000) Grampian Transport Museum will use the award to install solar panels and battery storage for the generated energy.
- Historylinks Museum (£10,000) Historylinks Museum is undertaking energy efficiency improvements including replacing their heating system and installing loft insulation.
- Museums & Galleries Edinburgh (£23,614) Museums & Galleries Edinburgh are using their grant to look at strategic income generation opportunities.
- The Highlanders’ Museum (£48,093) The museum will make changes to their space in order to better welcome visitors, hold events, and generate income.
- The Whithorn Trust (£43,470) The Whithorn Trust will make a range of energy efficiency improvements, including replacing an uninsulated flat roof on their visitor centre with a long lasting warm deck fibreglass roof.