Applications are being accepted for this funding which aims to strengthen regional museums and galleries in the UK.

A total of £520,000 of funding is available for applications that enable new ways of working both for established curators and those just starting out. It also seeks to ensure organisations can safeguard and advance curatorial skills through a time of development or change.

The Foundation expects to award five or six grants of around £90,000 for periods of two to three years but will consider higher amounts for exceptional projects.

Applications will be accepted for a wide variety of collection types including visual and decorative arts, archaeology and social and natural history collections.

They favour organisations with an income between £100,000 and £10m but may fund a larger institution if it is uniquely placed to meet their aim. Local authority, independent museums and contemporary galleries without permanent collections are also eligible.

Whilst their priority is small to medium-sized museums and galleries outside of London, national and/or London-based institutions may also apply if their project brings significant benefits outside of the capital.

A series of one-hour Q&A sessions on Zoom are scheduled until mid-December. You can sign up at this Eventbrite page.

The application process consists of two stages.

The deadline for Stage 1 is 6 January 2025.

Decisions are expected in Spring 2025, with notifications sent in late February, and final decisions likely by the end of May 2025.

To find out more, visit the John Ellerman Foundation website.