Community heritage

Community heritage

The interior of a 1950s hairdresser's shop. A visitor is having their hair styled by a stylist in vintage clothing. A child sits in a high chair next to the visitor.
Visiting the 1950s hairdresser at Beamish Museum. Credit: Nigel Roddis
Celebrating community heritage can help people come together, feel pride in where they live and save stories and traditions.

Since 1994 we have awarded £460million to more than 24,100 community and cultural heritage projects across the UK.

What do we support?

We fund projects that are researching, conserving and celebrating the heritage of a community or place.

These projects could include lots of types of heritage, such as people celebrating living customs or improving a historic green space. What's most important is that the project involves and benefits the community.

Project ideas

Our funding could help people:

  • research the impact of a historical event on their town, and share their findings through displays, talks and online
  • investigate the names on a war memorial
  • crowdsource documents and photographs linked to the LGBTQ+ community, creating an online archive and exhibition
  • set up an audio trail around a range of buildings, parks and monuments in a town
  • enable a youth group to research their local history and create an animated film about their learnings

For more inspiration, see the stories below or browse projects we've funded.

How to get funding

If you have an idea for a project, we would love to hear from you.

Two young people look at a photo
Young people carry out research for the project

Projects

Back-a-yard

This project was designed to give young people the opportunity to preserve the heritage of the African Caribbean community living in Newport.

Young people collect oral histories
Young people collect oral histories

Projects

Each One, Teach One

The project brought together young and older people to explore the built heritage of Hulme and Moss Side from the 1950s to the present day.

Gypsy, Romany and Traveller site
Volunteers have collected photographs that document GRT sites and their way of life

Projects

Family Lines, Family Trails

Using National Lottery money, The Romani Cultural and Arts Company have been able to record, celebrate and preserve the cultural heritage of Gypsy and Traveller communities in South Wales.

The Eden Court Collective researching stories at the archives
The Eden Court Collective researching stories at the archives

Projects

A War Unheard

Young drama enthusiasts formed the Eden Court Collective, a theatre company that set out to explore and share the untold stories of warfare.

Young people in First World War historical costume
The cast of the play celebrate their achievements

Projects

Working The War

A group of young people researched the personal stories of families who worked in the local torpedo factory during the First World War.

Children at the Bradford YMCA Tea and Remembrance project
Children at the Bradford YMCA Tea and Remembrance project

Projects

Tea and Remembrance: Bradford YMCA’s First World War project

Within days of the outbreak of the First World War, the YMCA had established 250 tea huts in the UK providing refreshments for soldiers heading to war. As the war progressed, these huts evolved to serve hospitals, POW camps and training centres.

Student Holly Patrick, presenter of the Havant’s Heroes film at the grave of Sir Frederick Fitzwygram, one of the soldiers featured in the film
Student Holly Patrick, presenter of the Havant’s Heroes film at the grave of Sir Frederick Fitzwygram, one of the soldiers featured in the film

Projects

Exploring our heroes - the impact of World War 1 on the people of Havant

Outside their lesson time, a group of students investigated the lives of people from Havant during the First World War and created a film, website and book.

If you query is regarding our application portal, please contact our support team.