Heritage sector receives over £1m to tackle workforce issues

The National Lottery Heritage Innovation Fund has announced 17 organisations that will benefit from a share of £1.17m of funding to explore how challenges facing the sector’s workforce can be overcome.

The grants, worth between £50,000 and £75,000, will support a staff member for up to 12 months to test solutions for issues ranging from recruitment and retention of volunteers and heritage skills shortages to attracting young people to the sector and improving digital products and capacity.

This testing phase is the second of the programme’s three stages, which started with 34 organisations. Of these, 17 will progress to the test phase, while a third phase is planned for late 2024.

Projects moving to the second stage include the British Film Institute, which will test new entry routes to film conservation and the role of formal accreditation in professionalising the practice.

Meanwhile, Hampshire Cultural Trust will look at different approaches to creating paid career pathways for volunteers across heritage organisations.

Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: "I'm delighted to see these 17 projects progress to the next stage. The cohort approach has already led to some impressive development of skills, confidence and capabilities – I'm excited for what they come up with next.

"Investing in innovation supports organisational sustainability, one of our four investment principles, and will ensure that heritage is valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future."