British Library awarded Catalyst Endowment to support future acquisitions
The British Library has successfully applied for a Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) Catalyst Endowment Award. The award will be worth £2 million, dependent on the Library raising £4 million over the next four years.
The amount raised by the Library, and the matched funding provided by the Catalyst Endowment programme, will result in a combined endowment of £6 million to increase public engagement with collection items, including exhibitions and online resources, and it will help support conservation work that may be necessary to make items accessible. The endowment will also fund work to support acquisitions of heritage items such as culturally and historically significant books and manuscripts. It will be managed on a long-term basis to provide funding for such activities over many years to come.
The Catalyst Endowment Awards are designed to bring new money into the cultural sector. The programme is a joint initiative between HLF, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and Arts Council England. It offers match-funding to help arts and heritage organisations become more sustainable and resilient by building a new endowment fund or developing an existing one, in order to increase their annual income.
Maps provide a fascinating insight into our history, and I marvel at the skill of the early mapmakers. My own collection is constantly on view at home, and they always provide a focus for discussions. I am very grateful to the British Library for looking after our heritage, in the form of old maps.
Philip Hennessy
The Library's ethos, principles and ambitions strike a chord with me; the services on offer are the practical demonstration of what the place is about.
Geoff