The Harris lands £585k Arts Council funding to upgrade special exhibition galleries

Exhibition by Bob and Roberta Smith at the Harris

The Harris has landed £585,000 from a fund that aims to help cultural organisations across the country to transform their buildings and equipment so they can operate smoothly.

The museum is among 66 cultural organisations across the country to benefit from a share of over £22.7 million from Arts Council England’s Capital Investment Programme.

This award will be used to support upgrades to the Special Exhibitions Galleries, which comprise of three inter-connected spaces hosting outstanding exhibitions and bringing excellent cultural experiences to Preston.

The proposed works will improve environmental conditions with a new air handling unit and make more wall space available within the galleries, enabling larger more complex exhibitions.

In pictures: The Harris packed up ready for refurb to begin

This will allow staff to deliver high-quality cultural activities in Preston and improve the visitor experiences, including those of the artists and partners that the Harris works with.

Darren Henley, Chief Executive, Arts Council England, said: “World class creativity and culture needs a resilient and sustainable infrastructure to allow it to flourish.

“With these investments in the buildings, equipment, and digital systems of cultural organisations across England, we are helping to secure the future of that infrastructure, and making sure that people from every part of the country can continue enjoying all the benefits it delivers for years to come.”

Councillor Peter Kelly, Cabinet member for culture and leisure services at Preston City Council, said:

“We are enormously grateful to Arts Council England for this funding, which will be used to support upgrades to the Museum’s Special Exhibitions Galleries.

“This is brilliant news as it means the Harris can host larger and more complex exhibitions, which will improve the overall experience for visitors.

“This funding demonstrates the faith and commitment the Arts Council has in our work at the Harris and means we can continue to make improvements for everyone that visits the Harris.”

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