Latest Round of Weston Loan Programme with Art Fund Announced
Twelve regional galleries and museums – from Pier Arts Centre in Orkney to The Mac in Belfast – have been awarded grants for new exhibitions through the latest round of the Weston Loan Programme with Art Fund, supported by the Garfield Weston Foundation, with major loans from national institutions including the National Portrait Gallery and Tate.
The Weston Loan Programme, now in its eighth year, is the first UK-wide grant programme designed to directly fund and empower smaller museums to borrow major works from national or major lending museums.
Over £300,000 has been awarded in this round, bringing the total so far to almost £1.6 million across 93 organisations since the scheme began in 2017. Twelve new recipients include:
- Nottingham Contemporary for the first major retrospective on Black British artist Donald Rodney
- The Granary, Maltings (Berwick) Trust for an exhibition exploring Lowry’s lifelong fascination with the sea
- Petersfield Museum and Art Gallery for an exhibition telling the little-known story of American art collector Peggy Guggenheim’s time living near Petersfield.
Major institutions loaning objects through the scheme including the National Portrait Gallery, the British Library, Arts Council Collection, Tate, National Trust and the British Museum.
Encompassing museums, galleries and historic buildings, this year's awardees are a great demonstration of the aims of the Weston Loan Programme - bringing fascinating art and objects to places where they can tell engaging stories to new audiences. From works by some of the most celebrated artists such as Lowry and Turner, to precious historic items like Jane Austen's writing desk, we are thrilled to support the display of these treasures across the UK.