Design Museum receives Arts Council funding for first time

This means that The Design Museum will receive £510,000 over three years from 2015-2018.

Design Museum director Deyan Sudjic says, ‘We are absolutely delighted with this news. It is a resounding endorsement of the work that the museum has done over the last 25 years, and a hugely important recognition.’

A new National Portfolio has been set out comprising a funding strategy for 670 not for profit arts organisations and 21 major partner museums.

The Arts Council says that the majority of the organisations in the portfolio will receive ‘standstill funding’ with increased funding given in exception cases. Meanwhile 37 organisations have seen their funding reduced.

One of these is the Barbican, which says it is ‘grateful to the Arts Council’ for its continued support but disappointed to have received less funding.

Barbican director of arts, Louise Jeffreys, says,  ‘In a challenging funding climate we understand that the Arts Council has had to make some tough decisions.

‘Those that really lose out when funding is cut are audiences, as there will now be arts organisations across the country who have unrealised ambitions for projects that could have had a transformative effect on people’s lives.’

NPO investment from 2015-2016 is £339.5m, dropping from £341.4m in 2014-2015. Meanwhile the MPM budget has increased by £1.1m from £21.5m in 2014-2015 to £22.6m in 2015-2016.

There is an increase in the Grants for the Arts budget to £70m in 2015-2016. It stood at £63m in 2014-2015.

The Arts Council says that because of this increase, its Strategic Fund (special projects) money has dropped from £153m in 2014-2015 to £104m per annum from 2015-2018.

Other organisations and partners which are new to the portfolio include Hull City Council (£2.5m), Museum’s Sheffield (£1.8m), Tyne & Wear Archives and Museums (£4.6m), and the William Morris Gallery (£180,000).