CRAVEN Museum at Skipton Town Hall has been announced as one of five finalists for Art Fund Museum of the Year 2024, the world’s largest museum prize.
Art Fund annually shortlists five outstanding museums for Museum of the Year.
The 2024 edition recognises inspiring projects from autumn 2022 through to winter 2023, with audiences and communities at their heart – with a particular focus on community engagement, sustainable ways of working and demonstration of ambition by reinventing what it means to be ‘the best’ museum for the audiences of today and tomorrow.
On behalf of Craven Museum, Danielle Daglan, Head of Culture and Archives at North Yorkshire Council said: "We are absolutely delighted to have been shortlisted for Art Fund Museum of the Year; to have the work of this small but hugely dedicated and passionate team recognised by this award is amazing!
“Craven Museum at Skipton Town Hall sits at the heart of its community.
“We believe all communities deserve the highest quality cultural experiences – this is our ethos, and we think small museums have the potential to lead the way in innovation of access and community engagement - we are proof of this and we want to inspire others to do the same.’’
Craven Museum is located in the Grade II listed Skipton Town Hall. It includes an exhibition gallery, historic concert hall, education and community spaces.
The museum was recognised as the Kids in Museums Family Friendly Museum 2023 and Best Accessible Museum 2023.
It was judged one of the top three museums for access provision out of over 2,000 UK museums and heritage sites.
Craven Museum programmed free or low cost activities or events every day of the 2023 school holidays for families, in recognition of the cost of living crisis.
Between 2022-2023, 115 artists displayed work in the museum's exhibition gallery, and 8 community groups created displays in the community cases.
The museum welcomed 156,391 visitors in the 2022-23 period, an increase of roughly 56,000 visitors compared to the same period the previous year.
The other four shortlisted museums are Dundee Contemporary Arts in Dundee, Manchester Museum in Manchester, National Portrait Gallery in London and Young V&A - Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
The winning museum will be announced at a ceremony at the National Gallery in London on July 10 and will receive £120,000 and £15,000 will be given to each of the four other finalists.
Speaking on behalf of the judges, Jenny Waldman, Director, Art Fund said: "Congratulations to Craven Museum on being shortlisted for Art Fund Museum of the Year 2024.
“Each of our finalists truly has something for everyone and all have community at the very heart of their programming.
“Across a wide range of size and scale, these organisations are all real leaders in their field. I urge everyone to go and visit these extremely special spaces."
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