Image: The Ashmolean Museum Collections are among those Designated (University of Oxford)
The application process, which is open to non-national museums, has been streamlined after feedback
Arts Council England has re-opened its scheme to better recognise collections of national and international importance.
Its Designation Scheme is open to new applications for England’s non-national museums, libraries and archives looking to raise the profile of a collection, with a ‘refreshed’ application process.
It said the process has been developed to address feedback, and now has a “streamlined” first stage which asks for the collection’s scope and scale, or its national significance.
There are currently 164 Designated collections across England, including archives, collections of art history, literature, theatre and economics, and cover topics include the history of transportation and the medical profession.
The new process also asks applicants to demonstrate the place-based significance of their collections, meaning how the collection engages audiences or helps to create a sense of identity for local people and communities.
Nick Merriman, Chair of the Designation Scheme, said: “I’m really delighted that the scheme is reopening for new applications, and as Chair of the Designation Panel I’m looking forward to receiving applications that recognise nationally significant collections of all types, shapes, and sizes.
“It is an exciting opportunity for us to identify even more outstanding collections, raise their profile and highlight their cultural value.”
