Kendal's Abbot Hall receives funding for new collections gallery

Abbot Hall in Kendal, managed by Lakeland Arts, has received a grant of £40,500 and will use this to create a new flexible collections gallery space exploring landscape, ecology, climate change and identity, and to review its environmental controls for collections to reduce energy use.

The funding comes from DCMS/Wolfson which will help museums and galleries across England to improve displays, protect collections and make exhibitions more accessible to visitors.

Artist impression of the new Testing Ground collections gallery at Abbot Hall planned to open in 2024. (Image: Lakeland Arts)

At Abbot Hall 'Testing Ground' will be a new interactive, responsive collection engagement space created with a focus on landscape, ecology, and identity.

It will be furnished and equipped as a welcoming and interchangeable space that allows for rotating displays that respond to urgent debate, community dialogue and research.

Digital infrastructure will enable the inclusion of a broad variety of voices and content locally, nationally and globally.

This new collection space will launch in 2024.

Rhian Harris, Chief Executive Lakeland Arts said: “We are delighted to receive this support from DCMS/Wolfson arts funding. It means we can create an exciting space that sparks curiosity, and invites conversations exploring our collection, sense of identity and climate issues. By enabling greater connection to the collection, through new and radical exhibitions, access and interpretation strategies we are deploying our collection in a fresh way to inspire, inform and resonate with our communities"

Paul Ramsbottom, Chief Executive of the Wolfson Foundation said: "While the projects funded are many and varied, they will all improve access to the treasures of our museums and galleries - allowing more people to enjoy and learn from these impressive collections, as well as safeguarding them for the future."