Recharge

Art Fund, working in partnership with Museum Development, is making funding available for projects that are developing collections, audiences and workforces in new ways.

Through this programme, four museums are being supported each year to carry out a self-assessment using our organisational health check tool.

Each museum receives an advisory report, geared around the key three priorities identified and will be eligible for a grant of up to £3,000 funded by Art Fund, towards projects around three key themes:

• developing the use of collections in new ways
• audience development
• volunteer and workforce development

Applications are invited from museums that are interested in strategic approaches to develop strong and flexible organisations, that can adapt and respond to challenge and to needs of the communities they serve. Applicants are required to ensure that their projects address equality and accessibility.

Applications are now open for 2025–2026

Closing date for applications is Mon 19 May 2025 at 5pm. Applications submitted after this deadline will not be accepted.

Museums will be supported to carry out an organisational self-assessment to identify priorities for improvement, using the tried and tested MD Organisational Health Check. The process will allow museums to assess and analyse all aspects of their operations in order to identify what they are doing well and areas for improvement.

Projects will need to be completed by Mon 9 Mar 2026. More information on eligibility and the type of projects that will be supported can be found in the guidance for applicants below.

If you would like to apply, please complete and return an application form, along with any supporting documents to [email protected], no later than 5pm on Mon 19 May 2025.

If you are unsure whether your project would be eligible, have questions about the criteria or would like to discuss your project in more detail, please get in touch with Yvette Shepherd, or join us at one of our online coffee morning sessions on Thu 24 Apr or Thu 1 May.

We will announce our current grant museums for 2025–2026 in June once the assessment panel has met and the applicants have been notified of the outcome of their application.

The grants funded the following museums:

• Barts Pathology Museum
• Brunel Museum
• Museum of Croydon
• Kingston Museum

Projects were completed by March 2025 and detailed case studies will be available from June 2025 onwards.

The grants funded the following museums:

• Brent Museum and Archives
• Museum of Croydon
• Dulwich Picture Gallery
• Royal Academy of Music Museum

The grants funded the following museums:

• Brunel Museum
• Gunnersbury Park Museum
• Havering Museum
• Markfield Beam Engine and Museum
• Valence House, LB Barking & Dagenham