MLA

PRISM Grant Fund

The PRISM Fund 2011-2012 is now available.

The fund for the Preservation of Industrial and Scientific Material (PRISM Fund) supports the acquisition and/ or conservation of any object or group of objects illustrating the history of any branch of science, industry or technology.

The PRISM Fund covers England and Wales. A parallel fund for the purchase of objects relating to the arts, literature and history is administered by the Victoria and Albert Museum on behalf of MLA. Corresponding schemes are administered in Scotland and Northern Ireland by the National Museums of Scotland and the Northern Ireland Museums Council respectively.

The Fund total for this year is £150,000.

The following Guidance Notes provide full details of how to apply for the Fund.  Please note that the following key changes have been introduced this year:

  • Applicants can apply for grants of between £500 and £12,000.
  • Organisations that have secured a grant via PRISM in the previous two financial years will not be give priority.
  • Up to 50 per cent of in-kind contribution to a project can be provided in the form of volunteer labour.

The PRISM Fund has now transferred to Arts Council England.

For further information please contact Paula Brikci (Manager, Designation & PRISM Fund) or Sarah Waldron (Assistant, Designation and PRISM Fund):

Email: prism@artscouncil.org.uk

Annual Reports

In 2008/09 the Fund awarded £231,021 to 34 different projects to aid in the acquisition and conservation of scientific and industrial heritage. Objects covered in this report include portraits of scientist Humphry Davy, a fossil Ichthyosaur and the Thames barge Thalatta.

Previous Previous PRISM Fund reports

Adobe PDF PRISM Grant Fund Annual Report 2009/10 (PDF 120MB)

Adobe PDF PRISM Grant Fund Annual Report 2008/09 (PDF 912KB)

Microsoft Word PRISM Grant Fund Annual Report 2007/08 (Word 9 Mb)

Adobe PDF PRISM Grant Fund Annual Report 2006/07 (PDF 365 KB)

Adobe PDF PRISM Grant Fund Annual Report 2005/6 (PDF 483KB)

Adobe PDF PRISM Grant Fund Annual Report 2004/5 (PDF 447KB)

Adobe PDF PRISM Grant Fund Annual Report 2003/04 (PDF 334KB)

Guidance Notes, Application Form and Claim Form

Adobe PDF PRISM Guidance for Applicants (PDF 109KB)

Adobe PDF PRISM Acquisition Application Form (PDF 66KB)

Adobe PDF PRISM Conservation Application Form (PDF 109KB)

Latest News

Responsibilities transfer

From 1st October 2011, this site will not be updated, so please treat it as the static archive it is. This is because <a target="_Blank" href="http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/">Arts Council England</a> has now taken over museums and libraries responsibilities. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/">The National Archives</a> has assumed responsibility for strategic leadership of the Archives sector. Arts Council responsibilities will also now include the Renaissance programme, Museum Accreditation, and Library Development, together with cultural property services such as Export Licensing and the Acceptance in Lieu scheme. The National Archives has assumed responsibility for providing strategic leadership to the archives sector and advising government on its development. The MLA is now winding down, with a skeleton staff remaining until May 2012 to complete the management of existing Renaissance contracts, complete outstanding financial and contractual arrangements and prepare for the appointment of a liquidator. This website will remain live until 31st March so that the public still has full access to the material on it – good practice case studies, toolkits, guidance and a range of other publications.  Continue reading

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    Following the announcement by the Secretary of State in July to close the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council by March 2012, the agency today placed all its employees formally ‘At Risk’ of redundancy and started a period of formal consultation.

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