|
West Midlands chosen to spearhead regeneration of regional museums 10th February 2003 |
|
|
Museums across the West Midlands have been chosen to lead a new Government
scheme to revitalise regional museums and galleries.
The �70m Renaissance of the Regions initiative will deliver a huge boost to the region�s European Capital of Culture campaign for 2008. It is the first time money has been channelled from central Government into the regeneration of the regional museums sector. It is described as a coup for the city�s thriving arts scene by Birmingham cabinet member Ian Ward. "It is also a very significant development for the city's bid to be European Capital of Culture 2008,� he said. The West Midlands Hub is led by Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, famous for the World�s largest collection of Pre-Raphaelite works. It also includes the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum, in Coventry, Wolverhampton Art Gallery and the Potteries Museums and Art Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent � as well as the Ironbridge Gorge Museum at the heart of the World Heritage site. Cash from the Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries will be made available over four years with the majority coming on stream in 2004/2005. Funding for work with schoolchildren, including �2.4 million from the Department for Education, will be released in April. Graham Allen, head of Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery and lead officer for the West Midlands Hub, said it was a "major building brick" in Birmingham's culture bid. He said initial funding would be used to develop education services within museums and, from 2004 onwards, money would be used to bring in more art collections. Museums in the West Midlands Hub have been selected, along with museums in the North East and South West, to lead the project.
|
|