Queen Street Mill in Burnley has secured a sizeable slice of funding from Arts Council England to upgrade museums to protect their heritage and support the local economy.
Our internationally important textile museum is one of 29 museums up and down the country to receive a share of almost £25 million from the fourth round of the Museum Estate and Development Fund (MEND).
Awards from £50,000 to £5 million will ensure local history in places across the country has a home for years to come.
Queen Street Mill will receive £813,110 – the highest grant awarded in the North West.
The money will help to fund urgent repairs to the Mill’s northlight roof to protect the collection of 300+ historic looms and machinery housed underneath the 1.5km of northlight windows.
Rebecca Ball, North Area Director, Arts Council England, said:
"This fourth round of MEND comes at a vital time for our region's museums. The North's heritage and cultural assets are second to none.
"They offer so much to their local communities as well as attracting significant levels of tourism, helping to grow the local economies of our towns and cities.
"The immensely important redevelopment work that these funds will support will be a welcome boost to cultural organisations across the North and will help make sure that more people can access the amazing creativity and culture our region has to offer."
The grant application to the MEND fund was made last summer after cabinet approved the move as part of wider proposal for repairs to the Grade I Listed building.
It was agreed that, if successful, the bid would see the grant funding boosted by a contribution from the county council.
Cabinet also agreed proposals to reopen the former Briercliffe Library in the entrance gallery, further enhancing the museum's offer.
County Councillor Peter Buckley, cabinet member for Community and Cultural Services, said: “Queen Street Mill is an important local heritage asset that houses industrial collections of historical significance.
"Following this successful bid, we now have the funding that will help preserve this Grade 1 listed building and the legacy of our industrial past.
"It also paves the way for a new library that will serve the whole community in Burnley and add to the value of this cultural gem of national importance."
Queen Street Mill Textile Museum is currently closed for the winter period, but will be open on Wednesdays and Thursdays 11am – 4pm as a community café until Thursday 27 March 2025.
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