The Bowes Museum is delighted to announce its success in reaching a £1m fundraising target within the final month of a four year campaign.
The campaign was launched in summer 2012, following a successful award of £1m under the Catalyst Endowments programme; a joint enterprise between the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), and Arts Council England (ACE).
Tailored to bring fresh money into the cultural sector, the programme pledged pound-for- pound match funding for donations made to The Bowes Museum Catalyst Endowment Fund, with the Museum required to raise £1m by the end of June 2016 to profit from the full amount of the award.
Contributions poured in from far and wide, including Australia, in both large and modest amounts, from more than 800 individual donors, including 300 spontaneous donations from visitors. The success of the campaign means the Museum now has a total fund of £2m to be invested and provide annual income in perpetuity. The revenue generated from the fund will be used to advance the public’s knowledge and understanding of art, craft, design and history by underpinning the Museum’s activities, in particular long term curatorial, conservation and educational activities, along with the exhibition programme.
Adrian Jenkins, the Museum Director, said: “The Bowes Museum is extremely pleased to have reached its £1m milestone. We extend our appreciation to the many supporters whose donations contributed to our reaching the target within the allotted timeframe. In addition, we pay tribute to the Museum Friends, who in turn matched the generous pledge of a long term supporter of the Museum.”
Whilst the four-year period of match funding is now at an end, The Bowes Museum’s intention is to continue to build the Endowment Fund with further donations and legacy bequests with the aim of reaching the level of endowment that its founder, John Bowes, originally intended. To find out more about The Bowes Museum Catalyst Endowment Fund please email catalyst@thebowesmuseum.org.uk
The Bowes Museum, Café Bowes and Shop are open daily from 10.00. A full programme of events and exhibitions is available by calling 01833 690606 or by viewing the website at www.thebowesmuseum.org.uk.