MLA/V&A Purchase Grant Fund
Organisation:
The MLA/V&A Purchase Grant Fund is a government fund administered by the V&A in partnership with MLA: The Museums, Libraries and Archives Council. It contributes to the purchase of objects relating to the arts, literature and history by museums, galleries, record repositories and specialist libraries in England and Wales. The scheme has a budget of £1 million for 2004/5.
Programme Objectives
Through the acquisitions it supports, the Purchase Grant Fund aims to help develop and strengthen the quality and standards of regional collections for the understanding and enjoyment of the public.
Eligibility
Museums, galleries and record repositories and specialist libraries which are able to care for its collections to professional standards and make them available to the public:
- As a basic requirement, museums and galleries should be registered under the MLA scheme and record repositories and libraries have adopted the Standard for Record Repositories (Historical Manuscripts Commission, 2001).
- Exist for the benefit of the public.
- Maintain a permanent collection housed and cared for to professional standards.
- Have an acceptable constitution and financial basis.
- Are staffed by suitably qualifies personnel.
- Provide a high degree of regular public access and an appropriate range of visitor services.
- Are not funded by central government.
Items for acquisition:
- Should have a minimum purchase price of £500 and a maximum of £300,000.
- Can be objects, collections or archives of any date relating to the arts, literature or history.
Timetable
- This is a rolling programme.
- Decisions are normally given within 3 weeks of receiving all necessary information. Allocations are made weekly or monthly for larger purchases and are given towards cases which are considered to be of particular merit.
Criteria
- The maximum grant is normally 50% of the purchase price, exceptional cases may consider up to 80% of the purchase price.
- No applicant may receive more than £80,000 in any financial year.
- Local financial commitment is essential and grants are calculated on the level of local contribution. Up to £4 of grant aid may be given for each £1 of locally raised funding. The balance may be sought from other nationally-administered grant giving bodies
- A grant cannot cover any associated costs such as delivery, framing or valuation charges but it can include the costs associated with a purchase at auction such as buyer's premium and agent's commission.
Types of Project Funded
Devon Record Office, Exeter - Survey of the estates of C H E Calmady, 1788-89, £2,587
The Elgar Birthplace Museum, Worcester -Collection of 39 letters of Sir Edward Elgar, Alice and Carice Elgar to JW Austin, 1903-33, £2,100
Guildhall Library, London - The archives of Hodder & Stoughton, 1825-1993£12,500
Derbyshire Record Office, Matlock - Account book of the Raventor lead mine, 1664-77 £300
Nottingham University Library - Autograph notebook of Coventry Patmore, c.1870's-1890's £1,625
Archives & Local Studies Section, Rotherham - Copy book of Legal precedents relating to the affairs of George Alotson & Gervase Eyre of Keyton, c.1580 £625
Application/Contact Details
MLA/V&A Purchase Grant Fund, Victoria and Albert Museum,
Cromwell Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2RL
Tel: 020 7942 2536
E-mail: purchasegrantfund@vam.ac.uk
Web: www.vam.ac.uk/resources/
