Our Conservators have hand-picked a list of organisations and websites that provide good advice and guidance for collections care and conservation, along with funding opportunities that may be of interest. Please note that the funding opportunities change regularly, and there can be strict guidelines for applying, so it is important to read the eligibility criteria carefully.
General advice:
- Historic England- current advice & research in, e.g., heritage and traditional materials, conservation, energy efficiency, threats and emergencies- Historic England’s Current Research Programmes | Historic England
- Collections Trust- Source of standards and advice for, e.g. Accreditation, documentation and managing collections in general- Resources – Collections Trust
- Share Museums East- wide range of resources from salvage and housekeeping to labelling and loans, including handouts, templates, guidelines and bibliographies- SHARE Resources – SHARE Museums East
- Museum of London- E-learning tools, including emergency planning, hazards in collections, museum pests- Collection care e-learning resources (museumoflondon.org.uk)
- Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI) – very broad range of data sheets on the care of objects and collections, as well as preventive conservation and risk management Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI) Notes – Canada.ca
- Image Permanence Institute (IPI)- latest research in libraries and archives preservation, including environmental control, material deterioration, pollutants and sustainability Research | Image Permanence Institute
- Museums Galleries Scotland- Advice and guidance on curating and managing collections, including environmental monitoring, storage and display- Museums Galleries Scotland | Collections
Archives: (above links, plus below)
- British Library– Collections Care blog – https://blogs.bl.uk/collectioncare/
- North East Document Conservation Centre (NEDCC) – Free resources including preservation leaflets, video training and information and disaster assistance- https://www.nedcc.org/free-resources/overview
Integrated Pest Management: (above links, plus below)
- What’s eating your collection- What’s Eating Your Collection? (whatseatingyourcollection.com)
- Museum Pests net – A Product of the Integrated Pest Management Working Group
Disaster & Salvage: (above links, plus below)
- AICCM- Disaster Response – Australian Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Material (aiccm.org.au)
- Pocket salvage guide- Museum of London- https://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/application/files/9414/5615/4887/pocket-salvage-guide.pdf
Funding Opportunities
| Places to Start: | |
|---|---|
| Heritage and Craft Funders Network | Provides details of independent trusts and foundations who draw on an endowment or invested funds to provide grants to the Heritage & Crafts sector. Other types of funding bodies are also associated with the network. |
| Heritage Funding Directory | A free guide to financial support for anyone undertaking UK related heritage projects. This is a useful starting point for navigating funding sources in the sector and it is recommended that you visit the funder’s website directly to explore the latest information. |
| Specific Funds & Funding Bodies: | What do they fund? |
|---|---|
| Arts Council | Arts, museums and libraries projects that engage people in England with creativity and culture |
| Special projects, displays, internship or part-time posts, training and conservation activities for regional museums, galleries & arts organisations | |
| Association for Independent Museums (AIM) | Collections Care, audits and conservation (AIM Pilgrim Trust Collections and Conservation Grants) for Members of AIM (open to all types of museum and heritage organisation) |
|
Barbara Whatmore Charitable Trust |
Cultural and heritage preservation projects in the UK (especially East Anglia) |
| Charles Hayward Foundation | Heritage and Conservation for charities registered in the UK |
| ChurchCare – Cathedral & Church Buildings Division | Conservation of historic church interiors (including fixed and non-fixed objects) and churchyard structures; conservation reports. Church of England |
| Daphne Bullard Grant | Small museums and organisations engaged in the conservation of dress and textiles of any period and their display |
| Elizabeth Hammond Grant | Conservation and preparation for display of clothing (including clothing-related textiles) of all periods, styles, and places of origin, held in the permanent collections of Accredited museums within the United Kingdom which do not have professional textile conservators on their workforce. |
| Arts & heritage, including the display of British ceramics, conservation of industrial, maritime and built heritage; archaeology. Cathedrals & Major churches, including restoration or repair work to the fabric of ancient cathedrals, parish church cathedrals and large churches of exceptional architectural merit that were built before 1850; conservation of monuments. | |
| Heritage of London Trust | Restoration of historic buildings and monuments in London which are available for public access and enjoyment. Any community organisation, representative of a community organisation or local authority can apply for a grant. |
| Idlewild Trust | Projects that aim to conserve historic or artistically important objects and works of art including artefacts, textiles, furniture, metalwork, manuscripts, wall paintings, tombs and stained glass of high quality. Works must be in museums, galleries, places of worship, and historic buildings or their grounds, and be accessible to the public. |
| Kathy Callow Trust | Conservation and display projects, particularly for those relating to the disadvantaged in society, history of dress, women, the sea, industrialisation, and small localities. |
| Leche Trust | Conservation of historic objects, collections and features of buildings and designed landscapes which are pre-Victorian in date, i.e. pre-1830s. In the case of churches, they consider supporting the conservation of items such as monuments, wall paintings, stained glass, and historic furniture and fittings. |
| Projects that demonstrate the significance, distinctiveness and power of collections to people. All applications must engage and involve audiences to achieve public benefit | |
| National Lottery Heritage Fund | Making the collections that museums, libraries and archives hold more accessible through new displays, improving public buildings and galleries, or engaging people with interpreting new and existing collections |
| National Manuscripts Conservation Trust | Conservation and preservation of manuscripts and archives belonging to non-national archives and record offices, as well as specialist libraries, universities and museums |
| Pilgrims Trust | The repair and restoration of important historic buildings particularly those at risk; the conservation of significant collections and artefacts; and the promotion of knowledge through academic research (Preservation & Scholarship Fund) |
| Radcliffe Trust | Support for craft and conservation projects (Heritage & Crafts scheme) |
| Transport Trust | Offers financial assistance to individuals or groups to carry through restoration or improvement projects associated with transport heritage. |
CMAS
Contact us
E: cmas@wiltshire.gov.uk
T: 01249 705500
For all conservation enquiries including quotations and object deliveries, please book an appointment in advance.
