Grant News

Grants of up to £25,000 are available for accredited and non-accredited museums in Scotland to support partnership projects with charities and local authorities that encourage people with mental health issues to engage with cultural activities.

The funding, provided by Museums Galleries Scotland in partnership with the Baring Foundation, will support museums and mental health organisations in creating engagement opportunities related to the museum and its collection.

Eligible costs include:

• materials for activities
• events
• exhibitions
• mental health training and support for participants and project team
• museum and heritage skills training for participants
• marketing, communication and design costs
• salary cost for new staff, additional staff time, and fees for freelancers
• expenses and travel costs for project team and participants

The closing date for expressions of interest is 8 January 2027.

Previous projects supported through this programme Include:

• The Hunterian, University of Glasgow – £18,020: Working with Impact Arts, the Collections Creative project engaged young people experiencing mental health issues and social anxiety in workshops inspired by museum collections. Participants created their own artworks, culminating in an exhibition. 
• Glasgow Museums – £25,000: Glasgow Life partnered with SAMH to run creative workshops for adult mental health groups, using museum collections as inspiration. The project also included staff training and the development of a good-practice guide for museum staff. 
• Campbeltown Museum – £24,400: Live Argyll worked with the Kintyre Link Club, a mental health and recovery charity, to provide creative activities and experiences for members while developing new ways of interpreting and accessing the museum’s collection.