Rachel Hopkins MP welcomes Museums Minister to Luton as part of Labour Government’s £530,000 funding boost for The Culture Trust
Luton will benefit from a £530,528 investment in The Culture Trust, as part of the Labour Government’s £20 million boost for local museums. Millions of people in England are set to benefit, with 75 civic museums nationwide being supported through the Museum Renewal Fund, part of the government’s £270 million Arts Everywhere Fund, which aims to expand access to arts and culture and boost local economies.
Baroness Twycross, Museums Minister, visited Luton this week, touring all three Culture Trust sites: Wardown House, Stockwood Discovery Centre, and Hat Works.
The Minister visited several exhibitions, including the Pakistan and Kashmir Heritage Collection and the Ghanaian Heritage exhibit at Wardown House. She also visited the George Mossman carriage collection at Stockwood Discovery Centre - the largest collection of its kind in the UK.
Artist Abu Yahya, whose work is on display at Hat Works, met with the Minister to explain more about his work. The visit highlighted the Trust’s vital role in preserving Luton’s heritage.
The Museum Renewal Fund supports museums with a strong civic role, helping them stay open and vibrant across every region. This investment will protect jobs, extend opening hours, and strengthen education, outreach, and community partnerships, ensuring long-term accessibility and sustainability.
Rachel Hopkins, MP for Luton South and South Bedfordshire, said: “This funding is fantastic news for Luton, and I’m especially pleased to see The Culture Trust among the beneficiaries. Our museums are at the heart of our cultural and community life.
“I’m delighted that the Minister had the opportunity to visit Luton and see our unique and diverse history for herself, as well as the great cultural institutions on offer in our town.
“The Culture Trust are working to ensure our rich local heritage is preserved, rooted in our sense of place and community, as well as evolving their exhibits towards a bold and creative future.
“These funds will help safeguard jobs, expand education programmes, and ensure that people across Luton can continue to access and celebrate these facilities. Supporting our museums is not just about preserving the past, it’s about investing in the future of our towns and communities.”
Museums Minister, Baroness Twycross, said: “Museums offer a place where people from all backgrounds can learn, be inspired and delve into our rich history, helping to understand the stories that led us to where we are today.
“The Museum Renewal Fund is contributing to the delivery of our Plan for Change. It ensures much-loved civic museums can remain open and continue to provide opportunities for future generations to learn about our shared heritage and how their local community has played its part in our national story.”