Historic England are launching a new round of our grant opportunity ‘Everyday Heritage Grants: Celebrating Working Class Histories’.
Building on the success of their previous rounds of grants, Historic England continue to be interested in funding projects that celebrate working class histories and the historic places that make up everyday life.
The grants are for creative projects that focus on heritage connecting people to historic places, specifically those people and places that are overlooked or underrepresented.
Proposals for projects will be accepted with costs of up to £25,000 but they are keen to fund a number of smaller projects up to £10,000.
A recent example is Morecambe Landladies. Up until the 1980s, before package holidays meant trips abroad were affordable to the masses, the seaside was a favourite holiday destination for British people. And many working class families visiting Morecambe for a cheap getaway would choose to spend their stay in a bed and breakfast, where the landladies created a lasting impression.
They were famed for their no-nonsense reputation, gruff manner and strict rules and regulations, but would go out of their way to help their guests. A short film brought together three generations of landladies at the Berkeley bed and breakfast in Morecambe to reflect on the town’s past, present, and future. The project explored the lives of these landladies who have seen thousands of holidaymakers come and go over the years. Twenty people were interviewed about their reflections on the women over the decades, including ex-landladies themselves, family members and paying guests.
All organisations and individuals can apply, including community interest groups, charities, and local authorities. They are especially interested in applications from groups and individuals that are not heritage organisations but can deliver heritage projects. While they are willing to fund proposals with links to established heritage institutions, they are especially interested in funding community-led projects.
Proposals must be submitted by 11.59pm, Monday 7 October 2024.