UK Museums Face Closure Crisis as Government Unveils £127.8m Arts Everywhere Fund
In January 2026, the Ditchling Museum of Art and Craft in Sussex temporarily shut its doors, but the board decided in April to prolong the closure, resulting in the redundancy of all employees. To prevent a permanent shutdown, the museum obtained funding from local contributors, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and the Association of Independent Museums. A study conducted by Kids in Museums in early 2025 revealed that 60% of small museums in the UK are concerned about potential closure due to decreasing visitor numbers and income. In April, the DCMS revealed £127.8m in grants from the Arts Everywhere Fund to support 130 organizations. Following Andy Burnham's appointment as prime minister on 20 July, the DCMS regained its former name.
Key facts
- Ditchling Museum of Art and Craft closed in January 2026, extended closure in April, staff made redundant
- Funding secured from Association of Independent Museums, National Lottery Heritage Fund, and local donors
- Kids in Museums research: three in five small UK museums fear closure
- DCMS announced £127.8m Arts Everywhere Fund for 130 organisations
- Mapping Museums Lab: small museums have highest closure rate; over 50% of closed museums were council-run
- Manchester closed Gallery of Costume in 2017, moved collection to Manchester Art Gallery
- Lisa Nandy announced £1.5bn to save over 1,000 venues
- Bethany Rex criticises short-term funding, calls for ongoing revenue support
- DCMS developing new strategic framework for museums in England
- Andy Burnham became PM on 20 July, DCMS expanded to Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
- Campaign For the Arts petition has over 22,258 signatures
Entities
Artists
- Deborah Humphrey
- Caroline Kent
- Michael C. Hughes
- Fiona Candlin
- Bethany Rex
- Lisa Nandy
- Margaret Hodge
- Andy Burnham
Institutions
- Ditchling Museum of Art and Craft
- Association of Independent Museums
- National Lottery Heritage Fund
- Kids in Museums
- Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)
- Mapping Museums Lab
- Birkbeck, University of London
- King's College London
- Manchester Art Gallery
- Gallery of Costume
- Museum of Domestic Design and Architecture
- York Racing Museum
- Tate Britain
- British Museum
- Hartlepool Borough Council
- Museum of Hartlepool
- Bristol Museum and Art Gallery
- York Museums Trust
- Yorkshire Museum
- University of Warwick
- Arts Council England (ACE)
- Campaign For the Arts
Locations
- Sussex
- United Kingdom
- England
- Manchester
- Platt Hall
- North London
- York
- Hartlepool
- Bristol
- Downing Street