Grant will help museum and gallery connect with more people in Torridge

The Burton at Bideford has been awarded £50,000 to look at ways to share its collections and connect with more people in Torridge over the next two years.

The money has come from Art Fund, the national charity of museums and galleries – it is part of £1.3million awarded to 29 venues through the latest round of the charity’s Reimagine programme.

Burton 2101: Collections for the Future will use the backdrop of gallery’s 75th birthday in 2026 to reimagine the role of its collections for future generations in Torridge.

It will pilot projects with schools, community groups and in the public realm to find new ways to connect residents to the stories of their past, present and future.

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Resources in the sector are always stretched and Art Fund’s Museum Directors Survey in 2024 found that 56% of museums cited a lack of funding for collections as a major barrier to essential work such as digitisation, collections reviews and acquisitions.

Harriet Cooper, director at The Burton at Bideford said: “It has been a challenging few years for the museum sector and as The Burton at Bideford enters its 75th year in 2026 we are excited to think about the role we can play in the next 75 years of culture in Torridge.

“Our rich collections are at the heart of this and this vital funding from Art Fund will help us to reimagine how they are used over the next two years. Burton 2101: Collections for the Future will see us pilot expansive collections projects, consult more closely with our community, learn from innovative organisations across the UK, and build a long-term strategy to support art and artists in North Devon to thrive.”

Jenny Waldman, director at Art Fund, added: “At the core of Art Fund’s purpose is supporting museums to develop, care for and share the collections that enrich people’s lives.

“I'm delighted we've been able to support The Burton at Bideford through our final round of Reimagine funding, enabling museums to explore their collections, connect with communities and ensure that works of art, objects and their stories are shared and preserved for future generations.”

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The Burton was established in 1951 to house the collection of artist Hubert Coop RBA, gifted to the town of Bideford. The permanent collection now holds a rich array of objects and artworks that vividly capture the history of Bideford and its surrounding area.

Highlights include work by artists including Gillian Ayres, Sir Joshua Reynolds PRA FRS, Aubrey Hunt, Bertram Prance and photographer James Ravilious; alongside one of the leading ceramics collections in the South West and the archive of Mary Stella Edwards and Judith Ackland.

This funding has been made possible thanks to support from The Kirby Laing Foundation, Art Fund members and supporters of Art Fund's Expanding Horizons appeal.

If you would like to find out more about Burton 2101: Collections for the Future and how you can get involved, sign up to The Burton’s newsletter at https://www.burtonartgallery.co.uk or get in touch at info@theburton.org