Heritage Forward

Building Resilience & Success

Arts & Business Cymru (A&B Cymru) is delighted to announce a two-year grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to support a new initiative which aims to create a more resilient, confident and sustainable heritage sector in Wales.

Heritage Forward will offer bespoke support to organisations across the nation, helping them to strengthen their leadership, governance, financial planning, fundraising and operations. It will be rooted in collaboration, with tailored support and opportunities for shared learning and peer connection.

In developing the programme, A&B Cymru consulted with heritage organisations across Wales. It is clear they are contending with many unprecedented challenges which have been exacerbated by the pandemic, economic uncertainty and major socio-cultural change.

A&B Cymru believes that the need for targeted support for those working in the sector has never been more urgent. The charity will draw on its many years’ experience of delivering tailored capacity-building support to the arts to create a bespoke programme which provides timely, practical support to organisations that need it most.

A&B Cymru’s Chief Executive, Rachel Jones, said: We are thrilled to have received this support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, heritage organisations across the nation will have access to the skills, knowledge and support they need to thrive in challenging times. We want to empower them to protect, share and sustain the heritage that matters to people and communities in Wales.

Heritage Forward will have a wide focus, empowering small & medium sized organisations working in all areas of the sector, across Wales. The application period will be launched in December 2025 and further details of this far-reaching scheme will be announced at that time.