National Lottery backing to protect archives and improve access at Dorset History Centre
Dorset History Centre has received initial support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund for its ‘Past Lives, Future Proofed’ project.
Made possible thanks to National Lottery players, this exciting project aims to provide new, expanded secure, environmentally-controlled storage for Dorset’s physical archives along with improvements to DHC’s public spaces.
In addition, DHC will be able to deliver a major programme of public engagement activity to help make archives accessible to a wide variety of people.
Development funding of £603,777 has been awarded by the Heritage Fund to help Dorset History Centre progress their plans to apply for a full grant of £3.8 million.
Dorset History Centre is home to over 1,000 years of the county’s recorded history – unique paper, parchment, photographic and film material relating to people, places and events.
Over 35 years since the building first opened, the climate-conditioned repositories are approaching capacity and this project will address a pressing need as well as funding collections and engagement work including the urgent preservation of digital assets.
The Heritage Fund support will provide DHC with the capacity and skills it needs to face the next several decades of safeguarding Dorset’s cultural heritage.
DHC will work with arts organisations and practitioners to identify archives for preservation as well as under-represented communities whose cultural heritage does not yet form part of the county’s archival holdings. The project will also open up access to Dorset’s significant Quarter Session court records dating from 1709 working in partnership with museums.
The development phase of the project will last for 18 months. There will be opportunities for the wider public to get involved either as volunteers or in consultation with DHC over its plans to extend and improve the building. Volunteering opportunities will be advertised on our website.
Cllr. Ryan Hope, Dorset Council’s Cabinet Member for Customer, Culture and Community Engagement, said: “We are thrilled to have received this initial support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players we can now develop our plans to enhance our excellent archive service and to ensure the preservation and accessibility of our cultural heritage for future generations.”
