England has an extraordinary range and quality of museums. From small, volunteer-run through to internationally renowned museums, they are among the best in the world. This is in no small part thanks to the funding provided by people who play the National Lottery, with the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) investing £2bn in over 2,800 projects in England since 1994. I am delighted that Neil Mendoza’s review has recognised and endorsed the role played by HLF in ensuring this money gets to where it is needed most.

The nine priorities set out in the report make a valuable contribution towards addressing many of the current challenges facing museums. I am pleased to say we have championed some of these already, with initiatives like Collecting Cultures and the Resilient Heritage programme. I welcome the emphasis on improved strategic partnerships and look forward to working closely with Arts Council England on making best use of available resources. 

We also recognise the report’s emphasis on infrastructure, although these issues could never be solved by National Lottery funding alone. As appropriate for a National Lottery funder, HLF will prioritise funding that maximises public engagement and sustainability.

Museums are an intrinsic part of the wonderfully broad heritage of the UK which HLF supports, and the Mendoza Review will provide important context as we consult on and develop our next strategic funding framework starting in April 2019.

In the meantime, we will continue to work with partners to strengthen our approach to identifying collections at risk. I and my colleagues at HLF look forward to working with DCMS and Arts Council England on the development of the Museums Action Plan to give the best support we can to our world class museums. 

Ros Kerslake, Chief Executive, HLF

Further information 

HLF press office: 020 7591 6032/6036