In brief | Latest news, grants, funding and acquisitions

ACE chief executive issues statement on Grantium woes

Arts Council England has issued an updated statement on its grants platform, Grantium, which stopped working on 23 July. Because of this, ACE temporarily paused applications for National Lottery Project Grants (NLPG). It is aiming to restore the programme by the middle of September at the latest.

ACE said the outage was caused by the inability of Grantium to operate with high traffic at a time when the system was being updated.

The organisation is continuing to issue payments to funded organisations and individuals and has extended deadlines on several of programmes that were affected by the outage.

ACE chief executive Darren Henley said: “We know this pause to NLPG is deeply frustrating news for those planning to apply in the next few weeks. I want to apologise most sincerely to them, and to everyone who’s experienced disruption in the last fortnight.

“We’ve set up a business continuity team with colleagues working hard at putting in place solutions. Our top priority right now is getting NLPG back open as quickly as possible and making sure those affected know what’s happening and when.

“Looking ahead, we will accelerate the transformation of our application process so that it’s simpler and more user-friendly for those we serve, but that’s not to dismiss the worry and anger of people affected right now. We’re very sorry. Please be assured we have a plan and we’re committed to a resolution.”

National Gallery to create Citizens’ Assembly

London’s National Gallery has announced plans to create a Citizens’ Assembly to help shape the future of the organisation.

This follows initiatives such as the Citizens’ Jury developed by Birmingham Museums, which have shown how museums can put audiences at the heart of decision-making.

NG Citizens, which will involve people from all four UK nations, will begin with a Citizens' Assembly of 50 participants, selected by a civic lottery. Invitations will be sent out to 15,000 households across the UK, with the final group reflecting the wide diversity of the UK – including individuals who have never engaged with the gallery before. They will be invited to reflect on the gallery’s purpose, priorities and public value, drawing on evidence from a wide range of experts and perspectives. 

National Gallery director Gabriele Finaldi said: “At the heart of the National Gallery is our stewardship of a collection that belongs to the UK public – our core aim is to bring people and paintings together. NG Citizens marks a bold new chapter in how we do that. By including the public in our decision-making, we hope to ensure the gallery remains a truly national institution – inclusive, responsive and shaped by the people it exists for.”

Museum Data Service secures funding

The Museum Data Service (MDS), a project to create a centralised catalogue of object records across UK museums, has received £800,000 from the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC). MDS is a joint venture between the University of Leicester and its partners Art UK and Collections Trust. 

The three-year funding from the AHRC will allow the partners to continue developing the digital infrastructure needed to help the project reach its ultimate aim to collect data for 100 million object records. MDS currently has data for over six million objects drawn from over 150 accredited museums.

MDS chair Catherine Eagleton said: “We are so grateful to AHRC for this funding, supporting our bold and ambitious goal for the Museum Data Service to bring together catalogue data from all of the UK’s museums, large and small.

“Since its launch in September 2024, MDS has already doubled the number of records available to six million and this support means we can continue to develop and grow, working closely with the other parts of the AHRC’s digital research infrastructure to revolutionise access to and research with collections.”

Museums Galleries Scotland awards Delivering Change grants

Museums Galleries Scotland (MGS) has announced that £125,000 has been awarded to five projects as part of its Delivering Change: Community Catalysts programme.

Five community groups have each received £25,000 to collaborate on a project with a partnering museum, which will bring underrepresented voices to the fore. The funded projects will focus on co-production, with members of the community groups leading the development and creation of exhibitions and activities.

The museums involved are V&A Dundee (working with Scottish Commission for People with Learning Disabilities), National Galleries of Scotland (working with Romano Law), Whithorn Trust (working with LGBT Youth Scotland), Museums and Galleries Edinburgh (working with Sikh Sanjog), and Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life (working with Northern Corridor Community Volunteers).

Delivering Change is delivered by MGS and funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and the Scottish Government.

London Transport Museum acquires a Banksy

London Transport Museum (LTM) has bought a Banksy artwork that first appeared on the door of a Transport for London (TfL) signal controller cabinet in Croydon in 2019.

LTM has preserved the item, which is now on display. The artwork depicts a rat hanging from the arm of a clock and appeared in front of the artist’s pop-up showroom installation, Gross Domestic Product.

The door of the signal controller cabinet, which still housed the technology for nearby traffic lights and tram signals, was removed by TfL to prevent theft or damage of the artwork and to ensure the continued safe operation of the transport network. To recreate the original context of the artwork, it has been mounted onto an identical cabinet body.

LTM director and CEO Elizabeth McKay said: “Banksy’s work always sparks a reaction – whether it’s funny, political, or makes you think – and people really connect with it. Banksy’s art is part of the city’s story, loved by Londoners and visitors alike. Whilst this artwork could not remain in its original location, it’s fantastic to display it here in the museum for visitors to enjoy it up close.”

LTM cares for more than 2,500 original artworks and 34,000 transport posters. This is the museum’s first acquisition of a contemporary street artwork by a globally recognised artist.