Wilkinson Eyre and Gustafson Porter and Bowman's railway museum project gets massive funding injection
by Andy Knaggs | 18 Oct 2019
An aerial rendering of the proposed South Yard at the National Railway Museum, York / Wilkinson Eyre and Gustafson Porter and Bowman
– Judith McNicol
The UK government has announced a £250m (US$322m, €290m) Culture Investment Fund for England. The funding package will be spent on infrastructure projects in the culture, museums and libraries sectors.
More than £125m (US$161m, €145m) of the fund is earmarked for investment in improvements to regional museums and libraries.
As the recipient of the largest single contribution from the fund (£18.5m US$23.8m, €21.4m), the National Railway Museum in York will be able to press ahead with its plans for the redevelopment of the largest city centre brownfield site in Europe, to become the cultural hub of York Central.
The project has been designed by Wilkinson Eyre and Gustafson Porter and Bowman.
Some 6,500 high-value jobs and 2,500 new homes are also projected to result from the development.
Judith McNicol, director of the National Railway Museum, said the investment was "an extremely significant milestone in realising our £55m Vision 2025 campaign to turn our museum into a truly world-class attraction".
She added: "It's the springboard for unlocking our role as the cultural heartbeat of York Central – one of the most ambitious regeneration projects in Europe."
The City of Coventry receives £7m (US$9m, €8.1m), unlocking £37m (US$47.7m, €42.9m) of additional funding, and over £107m (US$137.8m, €123.9m) of tourism impact to assist with its role as UK Capital of Culture 2021.
The Fund – which uses investment in heritage, culture and creativity to drive regeneration and growth – will be extended by another five years, with more than £90m (US$115.9m, €104.2m) being invested in 20 locations across England to transform their local cultural and creative industry infrastructure.
The investments will be delivered by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, with Arts Council England having a key role in distributing the fund, and the UK's National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic England playing important roles, particularly in the delivery of the museums maintenance fund.
UK's culture secretary, Nicky Morgan, said: "The Cultural Investment Fund is the Government's biggest ever single investment in cultural infrastructure, local museums and neighbourhood libraries, and will benefit communities across the country. It will help drive growth, rejuvenate high streets and attract tourists to our world-class cultural attractions."
National Railway Museum York Coventry UK government Department for Digital Culture Media & Sport DCMS Culture Investment Fund Cultural Development Fund19 Jul 2019
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21 Jan 2019
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York's National Railway Museum finalising £50m development masterplan
08 Dec 2017
Coventry named UK City of Culture 2021
The UK government has announced a £250m (US$322m, €290m) Culture Investment Fund for England. The funding package will be spent on infrastructure projects in the culture, museums and libraries sectors. More than £125m (US$161m, €145m) of the fund is earmarked for investment in improvements to regional museums and libraries. As the recipient of the largest single contribution from the fund (£18.5m US$23.8m, €21.4m), the National Railway Museum in York will
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