Focus on museums: a new joint fund with Museums and Galleries Scotland

We are delighted to be partnering with Museums and Galleries Scotland (MGS) on the new ‘Creative Minds Fund’ launching this week, designed to support museums and partnering organisations to engage people living with mental health issues in creative projects.

Any organisation that runs an accredited or non-accredited museum in Scotland, that meets the criteria, can apply to MGS for up to £25,000; and all museums need to apply in partnership with an organisation which provides support or services to those experiencing mental health issues.

Further details about the Creative Minds Fund, including eligibility criteria and what the funds can be used for, are available here.

The deadline for expressions of interest is 20 December 2024.

The Baring Foundation’s Arts and Mental Health programme includes (and welcomes) funding work by museums and galleries engaging people with mental health problems. This includes, for example:

• a creative singing project by the Imperial War Museum and the Soldiers’ Arts Academy to kick off a major new IWM exhibition on the psychology of war called War in the Mind (running now until 27 April 2025);
• a new grant to the Holburne Museum in Bath to work with neurodivergent young men experiencing poor mental health, as part of our recent Creatively Minded Men open round;
• a report – Creatively Minded at the Museum, which captures creative work with people with mental health problems around the UK, including in Scotland (Glasgow Museums and the National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh);
• and a podcast resource created by Tyne & Wear Museums & Archives to support heritage and museum professionals setting up creative and heritage programmes in mental health and addiction recovery settings. TWAM has an innovative programme working in-patient mental health settings.

(Photo: Glasgow Museums ‘Art Extraordinary’ collection of outsider art on display.)