The National Lottery Heritage Fund

03/06/2026

Dance City in Newcastle is using local and global dance heritage to reach new audiences, develop staff skills and plan for the future. 🩰 🌟

Their Call and Response project explored breakdance, Northumbrian clog dancing and Cecchetti ballet, inviting people across the region to share their own dance stories too.

As a first-time applicant, Dance City shows how community-focused heritage projects can build real resilience.

Take a look at what they achieved and get inspired for your own project:
👉 https://www.heritagefund.org.uk/stories/meet-first-time-applicant-using-heritage-build-stronger-future?mtm_campaign=news&mtm_source=facebook&mtm_medium=social&mtm_content=&mtm_group=

01/06/2026

25 years of The Lowry – what a journey it’s been!

With our funding, the cultural hub celebrated its milestone by bringing the people of Salford together and empowered community groups to creatively share their memories.

Listen to Aisling and Jenny reflect on the Lowry Turns 25 project.

More: https://www.heritagefund.org.uk/stories/grantee-qa-what-arts-venue-lowry-learned-running-community-grants-scheme?mtm_campaign=news&mtm_source=facebook&mtm_medium=social&mtm_content=&mtm_group=

28/05/2026

This is what archives look like when they open their doors 👏

The Suffolk Archives team tell us how they worked with a community forum to provide feedback, ideas and critiques to deliver their latest project, Beyond Labels: Celebrating Disability in Suffolk.

Building on award-winning work exploring LGBTQ+ histories and migration, these projects continue to open up The Hold in Ipswich to new audiences. Next, Beyond Labels will travel across the county, taking these stories even further.

More about their community co-creation: https://www.heritagefund.org.uk/stories/suffolk-archives-inside-guide-award-winning-community-co-creation?mtm_campaign=news&mtm_source=facebook&mtm_medium=social&mtm_content=&mtm_group=

Suffolk County Council

27/05/2026

A Margate building’s journey from synagogue to art centre.

ARK Cliftonville shares how the cultural space, based in a former place of worship, is getting the balance right between preserving and celebrating the building's Jewish cultural heritage and adapting it for new uses.

Read more: https://www.heritagefund.org.uk/stories/margate-buildings-journey-synagogue-art-centre?mtm_campaign=news&mtm_source=facebook&mtm_medium=social&mtm_content=&mtm_group=

26/05/2026

When farmland rich in rare species came up for sale, Ulster Wildlife acted fast – securing a grant from us to protect Fedian’s future. 🦋

How? Early prep, support from our Northern Ireland engagement team and a fast-track application.

Read more 👇

Peter McEvoy from Ulster Wildlife shares reflections and advice on the different stages of the nature conservation charity’s project – from writing an application at speed to the surprising amount of nature recovery it’s already supported.

21/05/2026

Who remembers playing Heads Down Thumbs Up at school? 🙋

Primary school children from Nottingham Schools Trust take us down memory lane, sharing the games they play during their break and lunchtimes.

From Heads Down Thumbs Up to The Floor is Lava and more, we’re supporting Challenge Nottingham to celebrate the joy of play and tradition passed on from one generation to the next. Children are also embracing new ways of having fun such as TikTok dances.

The project includes a series of short films and a beautifully illustrated book, capturing why playground games still matter in children and young people’s development. Watch more: https://challengenottingham.co.uk/nottingham-games

20/05/2026

Welcome news from Department for Culture, Media and Sport to safeguard England’s most important cultural and heritage assets!

We will continue to support the volunteers and communities caring for it – working with both current recipients and those just starting out. 🤝

Three heritage funds have opened for Expressions of Interest, including the new £92 million Places of Worship Fund, as well as the second rounds of the Heritage at Risk Capital Fund and Heritage Revival Fund

20/05/2026

What do sharks, Shakespeare and the Tower of London have in common? 💭

They’re all helping to inspire and create new opportunities for children and young people, as part of a fresh wave of projects announced today! 🥳

From leading research to help safeguard endangered sharks in the Greater Thames Estuary, to reciting Shakespeare in a former medieval hospital – young people are getting hands on with heritage through these six exciting initiatives.

19/05/2026

A huge congratulations to last week’s winners, who are setting the gold standard for what the museums and heritage sector can achieve. 🥳

We’re incredibly proud to have supported these inspirational projects, thanks to players:

🥇 Restoration or conservation project of the year: Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery’s A Royal Palace Reborn
🥇 Sustainable Project of the Year: Gloucestershire Archives Green Pledge Project
🥇 Permanent Exhibition of the Year: Avoncroft Museum’s Revealing the Hidden Stories of the Showmen Community
🥇 Temporary or Touring Exhibition (budget less than £80k) – Food Museum’s School Dinners
🥇 Sector Impact: Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery - UK’s Citizens Jury

Here’s to continuing to celebrate and support incredible work across the sector. 🙌

Image credits: Norfolk Museums Service, Gloucestershire County Council, Avoncroft Museum, Food Museum, Birmingham Museums.

15/05/2026

Celebrating heritage, identity and community 🕍

To mark the start of tomorrow, we’re shining a light on historic synagogues we’re helping to serve communities and share Jewish heritage across the UK…

✨ This is the beautiful, Grade II* listed Middle Street Synagogue in Brighton. We’re funding Foundation for Jewish Heritage’s development of a UK-wide project to provide vital support for historic synagogues like this one.

✨ Dating back to 1879, Garnethill Synagogue in Glasgow is Scotland’s first purpose-built Synagogue. Since 2021 the Scottish Jewish Heritage Centre, developed with our support, has been based at the site.

✨ A project at Sir Moses Montefiore Memorial Synagogue is carrying out emergency repairs on the 19th century building and sharing the story of Jewish heritage in Grimsby with local communities.

✨ We helped restore and upgrade facilities at Grade II listed Leicester Synagogue, making it more welcoming and accessible. A new heritage and education centre is helping Leicester’s Jewish community share and celebrate their heritage more widely.

Image credits: Foundation for Jewish Heritage, Garnethill Synagogue Preservation Trust, Heritage Lincolnshire, Hollis Photography UK.

Heritage Lincolnshire Foundation for Jewish Heritage Scottish Jewish Heritage Centre National Lottery Good Causes Department for Culture, Media and Sport