Spalding Gentlemen’s Society has been given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform its town centre museum into a leading heritage destination. The Society has been awarded £45,880 from Art Fund, the national charity for museums and galleries, for the first large-scale redisplay of its collections in more than a century.
The ambitious ‘Museum Reimagined’ project will bring fresh and diverse perspectives to Spalding Gentlemen Society’s museum, library and archives. The funding will be transformative for Britain’s second-oldest museum, which has a Designated ‘Original Collection’ that is recognised for its outstanding national and international significance to the history of museums and collecting.
Dustin Frazier Wood, Head of Collections and Operations, explains: “Being awarded this funding enables us to transform our museum into a place for all people, not just for residents, but regionally and further afield, too. It gives us the chance to truly re-imagine how we tell the stories of our collections and how we share them with the world.”
Launching in January 2026, the project will bring together a diverse team of young people, early-career heritage professionals, and community volunteers to collaborate on the first complete redisplay of the museum since 1911.
The young curators and students will benefit from having the opportunity to carry out object research, contribute to a new SGS online collections database, and submit ideas for exhibits. This will enable diverse local and regional voices to be heard, while helping to increase an appreciation for local stories and foster a feeling of pride in Spalding.
Dustin explains: “Through public events, training, mentoring and hands-on work with our 300-year-old collections, we want to create galleries and exhibits that resonate with as many people as possible. Our aim is to create opportunities for everyone to discover the stories in our collections, and to help us uncover new stories in turn.”
The funding is part of a total of £1.3m awarded through the latest round of Art Fund’s Reimagine programme, supporting innovative collections projects in museums and galleries across the UK. Launched in 2020 in response to the pandemic, Reimagine was developed to address the most urgent challenges facing UK museums. This latest round focuses on collections – a cornerstone of Art Fund’s mission and one of the areas of museum practice with the greatest demand for funding.
The UK is home to some of the world’s most remarkable collections, yet the resources required to care for and interpret them are increasingly strained. Art Fund’s Museum Directors Survey in 2024 found that 56% of museums cite a lack of funding for collections as a major barrier to essential work such as digitisation, collections reviews and acquisitions. This funding has been made possible thanks to support from The Kirby Laing Foundation, Art Fund members and supporters of Art Fund’s Expanding Horizons appeal.
Jenny Waldman, Director, Art Fund, said: “At the core of Art Fund’s purpose is supporting museums to develop, care for and share the collections that enrich people’s lives. I’m delighted we’ve been able to support Spalding Gentlemen’s Society through our final round of Reimagine funding, enabling museums to explore their collections, connect with communities and ensure that works of art, objects and their stories are shared and preserved for future generations.”
The Reimagine grant has come at a pivotal time for Spalding Gentlemen’s Society. Its purpose-built 1911 Broad Street museum is currently closed for vital repairs and building works, supported using public funding by Arts Council England. Temporary exhibitions from the society can be seen at Ayscoughfee Hall Museum in Spalding. The Broad Street Museum will reopen in spring 2027 with its reimagined collections on display.
Petronella Keeling, Chairman of Spalding Gentlemen’s Society, says: “We are so grateful for the support from Art Fund. The Reimagine grant will be truly transformative for us, enabling us to build on our recent progress in collections research and public engagement. It will also advance our strategic aims to make our displays and galleries more engaging, representative, accessible and dynamic.”
“Like our founders, we have the opportunity to reimagine what a museum can be and do: and we’re excited to bring that reimagining into reality.”
In recent years, Spalding Gentlemen’s Society has expanded its reach to work with around 100 dedicated volunteers; providing workshops, skills training, artist residencies, a monthly ‘coffeehouse’, and year-round themed events for people of all ages to enjoy.
The Society also partners with schools, colleges and universities, hosts the Centre for Fenland Studies to support national and international research on our region, and leads the Fenland Heritage Network. This association is designed to foster collaboration and partnerships between heritage organisations of all sizes.
For more information about Spalding Gentlemen’s Society, take a look at www.sgsoc.org
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