Photo – Just Jon Simpson
A £200,000 award from the Clore Duffield Foundation boosts Hereford Museum and Art Gallery’s commitment to children, families and community learning.
Plans for a dedicated learning space at Hereford’s redeveloped museum and art gallery have received a major endorsement from one of the UK’s leading cultural funders.
The Clore Duffield Foundation has awarded a £200,000 grant from its Learning Spaces programme, helping ensure the museum’s new Clore Studio will offer an outstanding environment for creative learning, exploration and play.
The learning space has always been a central part of the redevelopment’s vision, but thanks to this grant, its design and delivery can now meet the highest standards in cultural learning. It will support schools, families and community groups with a welcoming, flexible space designed for inclusive, hands-on activity rooted in Herefordshire’s rich heritage and vibrant creativity.
Councillor Harry Bramer, Cabinet Member for Community Services and Assets, said:
“We’re delighted that the Clore Duffield Foundation has recognised the strength of our vision for the new museum and the role learning plays within it. This funding will enhance our offer for schools and communities, supporting more people to engage with arts, culture and heritage in meaningful and inspiring ways. This aligns directly with one of the council’s strategic priorities: to increase opportunities for cultural engagement, diversity, and lifelong learning.
“We’ve always believed that learning should sit at the heart of the new museum – not on the sidelines. This grant from the Clore Duffield Foundation allows us to raise our ambitions even further. It means we can design a space that’s not just functional but truly inspiring – a place where children, families and communities feel a sense of welcome, creativity and possibility.”
The Clore Learning Space will serve as a hub for creativity and curiosity; from curriculum linked workshops for schools to informal holiday activities for families and inclusive programming for groups across the county. It will support Herefordshire Council’s wider priorities around access to culture, learning, wellbeing and community resilience.
The grant will be awarded in two parts. The first half will come to the museum in 2025, with the remainder being received in 2027.
