This will be the sixth instalment of the programme which began in 2017 and has on average boosted visitor numbers to recipient sites by 40% prior to the pandemic.
Hundreds of high-profile artworks have been lent to smaller venues courtesy of the £1.56 million distributed by the scheme during its first five rounds. This includes artworks by William Hogarth, Laura Knight, John Nash, Eric Ravilious, Rembrandt van Rijn and Peter Paul Rubens, along with artefacts such as the 12th-century Becket Casket and the Lampedusa Cross.
Can I apply?
Applications are accepted from UK public museums, galleries, historic houses, libraries and archives which are:
- regional and/or run by local authorities or universities, or have independent Trust status
- open for at least half the week for at least six months of the year (although exceptions can be made)
- at least provisionally accredited*
*Museums not fully or provisionally accredited will be asked to explain why and to demonstrate a longstanding commitment to care for the collections to the same nationally recognised standard
Successful applications might:
- enhance or maximise the possibilities of already planned loans/exhibitions/programming
- enable ‘quickfire’ and ‘quick win’ loan requests
- support long-term relationship and display development
Support from the Weston Loan Programme ranges from £5,000-£25,000, with amounts below or above these figures only being considered where there is a strong case to justify it
“As museums and galleries across the UK reopen their doors, the Weston Loan Programme with Art Fund can help meet the costs of bringing a wide variety of famous and interesting art works to regional museums that can be seen by local communities across the UK,” says Sophia Weston, trustee of the Garfield Weston Foundation.
“These loans build meaningful and often long-lasting partnerships between local and national museums, and a chance for many more people to see incredible works of art closer to home.
“We are looking for museums that have some brilliant ideas, and encourage them to be audacious and think big when considering what they would like to borrow as we know taking part in this programme can be transformational.”
Organisations keen to take part in the initiative have until 17th August to apply.
More information on the Weston Loan Programme can be found here.
