Peoples History Museum statement on funding cuts

People's History Museum statement on funding cuts

Following the announcement by the Department of Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) the museum will see its funding reduced by about 15% from 2011/12 across four years in line with the Comprehensive Spending Review in October. The funding currently provides approx 20% of the total for the museum. From April 2011 DCMS plan to find an alternative body through which to channel its funding of the museum and this will continue for a four year period.

After April 2015 the People’s History Museum will no longer receive any
funding from central Government at which point an alternative sponsor (not
yet identified) will need to be in place.

Katy Archer, Director, said; “The People’s History Museum is currently funded directly by DCMS and is in conversation with the department
about the impact of the government’s decision to relinquish control and sponsorship of what they refer to as ‘non-national museums’. The People’s History Museum continues to be the national centre for collection, conservation, interpretation and study of material relating to the history of working people in Britain and their campaign for democracy over the past
200 years. We are passionate about our national remit and responsibility to tell a national story and will continue to do so.”

The museum is one of eight museums across the country that face the same
situation with regards to DCMS funding. The others are the Design Museum, the Geffrye Museum, the Horniman Museum and Gardens, Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester (MOSI), the Football Museum, the National
Coalmining Museum for England and Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums. The museum is waiting to hear from its main funder, the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) about the impact of the CSR on funding levels
for the museum from April 2011 onwards.