Gainsborough’s House is delighted to announce that the museum has been successful in its bid for The National Lottery Heritage Fund Resilience Funding and has won £245,000 for its bold ‘Facing the Future’ project. This two-year grant enables us to appoint and support an Events and Marketing Manager – a post designed to substantially enhance and diversify income streams for both the museum and the town – and to create a much-needed new museum exit.

Both the town and region were hugely supportive of this bid, which will help us to achieve long-term economic sustainability at a difficult time for the cultural sector. This award also says much about the Heritage Fund’s confidence in the future of both the museum and Sudbury.

Says Director of Gainsborough’s House, Dr Steven Parissien:

‘Facing the Future’ is a project which aims to ensure we have the right resources to increase and diversify our audiences by introducing new events and activities which will, in turn, provide us with income streams which will guarantee our long-term fiscal resilience and help us to bring more visitors to Sudbury and Suffolk.

James Cartlidge, MP for South Suffolk, says:

I’m absolutely delighted to hear about this huge and important funding boost for Gainsborough’s House. In particular, I strongly welcome their management’s plan to use this funding to pursue a broader marketing strategy to benefit our local economy. Artistic heritage of international renown is a cultural asset for South Suffolk that we must make the most of – not least with Constable Country on our doorstep, too. I look forward to working with Gainsborough’s House to drive further momentum into our cultural tourism offer, as more visitors will boost our high street shops and local businesses.

This project is supported with match funding provided by the Babergh & Mid Suffolk County Council Rural Community Fund.