Cash Award for Winchester Museums
Winchester City Council has received a £10,000 cash boost to help develop the services it provides for visitors to its popular city centre museums.
The grant, one of only 5 large grants made available across the region in the current round, comes from the regional Museums, Libraries and Archives Council through its Renaissance South East programme. It will fund the research and production of a new audience development plan to ensure that as many people as possible are able to access and enjoy the City Council-run museums.
Sher Kent, Museum Services Manager for Winchester Museums, is leading the project. She said:
“At a time when budgets are strained for everyone, a grant like this is really important. The award will help us to find out more about our visitors – and also about those who do not currently visit the museums for a whole range of reasons. The finished plan will help us in the delivery of events, exhibitions and other initiatives in a way that enables us to reach different kinds of visitors, and ensures best use of the City Council’s resources.”
Helen Gibbins, Museum Development Service Manager for Renaissance South East, commented:
“The Panel awarding Renaissance South East Large Grants were delighted to support the excellent work of Winchester Museum Service. This grant will allow the service to build on its existing work; to understand more about their visitors and, in turn, to develop their museums and exhibitions in line with their visitors' expectations."
The project will lead to the production of a case study for use by other museums across the region.
Winchester Museums will shortly be engaging a museums consultant to set up and facilitate focus groups across the city and wider district in order to ensure the views and ideas of local residents are incorporated into the plan. If you would like to be involved and have your say, now is the chance! Small groups will meet in various venues across the district during the summer months: to register your interest please phone Sher Kent, Museum Services Manager directly on 01962 848 557 or email skent@winchester.gov.uk
For further information on the Renaissance South East programme please follow the link: www.museumse.org.uk/index.html