Applications for this programme have now closed.

Delivering Change is a Museums Galleries Scotland programme that recognises that museums have played a part in excluding the experiences and histories of many of Scotland’s people and communities. This three-year programme, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to National Lottery players, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, and the Scottish Government supports museums and galleries across Scotland to make changes to help all people to access culture.  

Narrow and incomplete representations of Scotland and Scottish people prevent us from creating a fair, tolerant, peaceful society. Museums don’t always represent the diversity that enriches Scotland. This is because museums have been built on models of systemic exclusion.  

Systemic exclusion is where groups of people have been intentionally disadvantaged based on their identity, while advantaging members of the dominant group. Disadvantaged identities could include people’s race, disability, sexuality, social class, education level, and gender.   

The Delivering Change team is working with a group of museums to make them safer and more inclusive for systemically excluded  communities. This means that these museums will have developed the skills they need to work with communities in a way that respects and values people and their experiences.  

During Delivering Change we’re supporting 8 community groups to connect with one of the Museum Transformers we’re working with. The Delivering Change team will work with the community group and their museum partner to help explore the group’s idea and gain the tools to make it happen.  

Through the programme the community group will: 

• Receive a development grant of £2,000. This money can be used to support their community to take part in the programme, such as travel costs, childcare, venue hire etc.  
• There will be an initial visit from Delivering Change staff to discuss the project idea and to begin to plan what support, training, and resources they’ll need to participate in the programme. 
• The group will then work with the Delivering Change team to be partnered with one of the Museum Transformers. 
• The group and their partner museum will develop their project, with support from the Delivering Change team. 
• Once the project is developed and approved then project funding of up to £25,000 will be awarded. 
• The group and partnered museum can then get started on making the project a reality. 

Community groups participating in Delivering Change: Community Catalysts are

• Africa Future
• Dundee International Women’s Centre
• LGBT Youth Scotland
• Northern Corridor Community Volunteers
• Romano Lav
• Scottish Commission for People with Learning Disabilities
• Sikh Sanjog
• ZYA Community

• To have the confidence and tools to navigate the museum sector to develop further partnerships
• To have a better awareness and understanding of  Human Rights, and the ability to advocate for them, using the Human Rights-Based Approach
• To have increased resilience and developed an organisations’ capacity
• To have enhanced the community group’s capacity to share the stories of their community

Project Delivery Next Steps:

• The Delivering Change team will support you and your Museum Transformer partner to develop your project
• Once the project is developed you can start applying for up to £25,000 funding
• Applications can be made between 24 February 2025 and 2 May 2025
• Project delivery will be between April 2025 and December 2026