Read the full May Newsletter from South West Museum Development.

A team of women discuss around a tableIn this month’s newsletter, we provide an update on the successes of our Rebuilding the Foundations programme, which was supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England. The project empowered ten participant museums to develop the capacity of their volunteer workforces, engage with a broader audience, and promote their museums as unique parts of Gloucestershire’s cultural landscapes.

We also share more information about our Small Grants scheme. We are inviting applications for grants from £500 up to £10,000, for projects that fall under one of the following themes: organisational resilience; collections development; increasing inclusion and tackling inequality; and environmental responsibility. Applications should be submitted by Monday 13 June 2022, 12 noon.

We also invite you to register for the final remaining places on our SW Museum Skills programme. We have a few spaces left on our Foundations of Equality, Diversity & Inclusion training and our Sharing your collection in the community fusion session. Book now to avoid missing out!

Plus, there are contributions from our Specialist Officers. Our Sustainable Volunteering Officer, Eleanor Moore, shares tips for how to get involved with Volunteers Week (1 – 7 June 2022). Our Digital Engagement Officer, Polly Allen, shares a useful resource for generating content ideas for social media, and our Conservation Development Officer, Helena Jaeschke, shares top tips on how to clean display and storage areas in your museum safely.

Finally we include a round-up of wider sector news and funding opportunities to support you this month, including how to apply for the Tourism Awards in the South West!

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