Trans Pride UK Collection gets funding boost
The Museum of Transology has been awarded funding from the Art Fund to help establish Trans Pride UK Collection – a national archiving project connecting museums and archives across the UK.
The network will work to collect, celebrate, save and share the culture of trans, non-binary and intersex people. The museum will also build partnerships by connecting local trans archivist volunteers and museum partners.
E-J Scott, the curator of the Museum of Transology, said: “With the help of our Art Fund Reimagine Grant, the Museum of Transology will celebrate its 10th birthday by building a Trans Pride UK Collection. By saving objects and stories from 13 trans pride collectives across the UK, we’ll unite our community voices in a show of solidarity and ensure evidence of trans empowerment is recorded in history for the inspiration of future generations.
“As word spreads and the collection grows, we aim to encourage others to start their own local Trans Pride festivals and Museum of Transology collections.”
The grant was made as part of the Art Fund’s Reimagine programme, which has awarded £1.8m for “bold and experimental projects” to 45 museums and galleries. A total of 135 applications were received, with a total ask of £5.3m.
Art Fund’s Reimagine Grants have awarded a total of £6.25m since the programme was first launched in 2020 to support organisations deliver projects or activities, or explore new ways of working in response to the Covid pandemic.
“We are delighted that Art Fund can provide millions of pounds to support museums directly engaging audiences in exciting and innovative ways,” the Art Fund’s director, Jenny Waldman, said.
She added: “It’s an enormously challenging time for museums with a real risk that the current economic climate will stifle creativity. Museums are facing huge energy bills for their buildings and cost of living wage measures to help retain their expert staff just as they endeavour to recover their pre-pandemic visitor numbers and income.”
Other successful recipients include:
Golden Thread Gallery in Belfast, which will create creative workshops and free multilingual art packs for children, many of whom are refugees, migrants and new arrivals to Northern Ireland.
Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool, which will use its grant for a research project and exhibition, Black Girl Magic, celebrating Black British women’s creativity from 1970 to today.
Tŷ Pawb in Wrexham, which will bring artists and children together as co-producers to explore the role of the arts in engaging young audiences in the civic decision-making which impacts upon their lives.
Slough Museum, which will celebrate its 40th anniversary through a series of story and space takeover programmes co-created with the local community to creatively celebrate the culturally rich history and heritage of the town.
Tramway in Glasgow, which will bring contemporary art to green spaces across the southside of the city through a series of Art in the Park commissions.
V&A Dundee, which will use digital media to create new ways for visitors to engage with its building; increase understanding of exhibitions and collections; and increase accessibility through the development of immersive and inclusive multimedia tours.