Community heritage

The interior of a 1950s hairdresser's shop. A visitor is having their hair styled by a stylist in vintage clothing. A child sits in a high chair next to the visitor.

Visiting the 1950s hairdresser at Beamish Museum. Credit: Nigel Roddis

Celebrating community heritage can help people come together, feel pride in where they live and save stories and traditions.

Since 1994 we have awarded £590million to more than 27,600 community and cultural heritage projects across the UK.

What do we support?

We fund projects that are researching, conserving and celebrating the heritage of a community or place.

These projects could include lots of types of heritage, such as people celebrating living customs or improving a historic green space. What's most important is that the project involves and benefits the community.

Project ideas

Our funding could help people:

research the impact of a historical event on their town, and share their findings through displays, talks and online
investigate the names on a war memorial
crowdsource documents and photographs linked to the LGBTQ+ community, creating an online archive and exhibition
set up an audio trail around a range of buildings, parks and monuments in a town
enable a youth group to research their local history and create an animated film about their learnings

For more inspiration, see the stories below or browse projects we've funded.

How to get funding

Our National Lottery Grants for Heritage programme is open for applications.

Find out more and apply

People dancing as part of a cultural festival at the Birmingham Commonwealth games

Videos

Inspiration for your heritage project

Engagement Manager Debbie Cooper explores what 'heritage' can mean and shares examples of projects we've funded in the Midlands & East of England.

Blogs

How ‘small’ grants can make a big impact for communities

Our Director of Wales marks St David’s Day by reflecting on how the wisdom of the Welsh patron saint can bring communities closer to their heritage.

01/03/2022

Hub

How to consider environmental sustainability in your heritage project

We expect the highest standards of environmental sustainability in all the projects we fund – and there are lots of ways to get started.

A black and white photograph of Delia creating electronic music.

Delia Derbyshire working in the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.

Stories

Celebrating the music pioneer Delia Derbyshire on Doctor Who's 60th anniversary

From oral histories to hands-on workshops, we’ve awarded over £100,000 to three projects that are preserving the story of an innovative electronic musician.

A colourful sculpture of an hibiscus flower

Hibiscus Rising sculpture by Yinka Shonibare CBE RA.

Projects

Hibiscus Rising: celebrating cultural heritage inspired by the legacy of David Oluwale

A community engagement programme will accompany a public artwork, Hibiscus Rising, created by Yinka Shonibare CBE RA to honour David Oluwale.

03/10/2023

A group of people stand together with the Delia Derbyshire collections

The Delia Derbyshire Day team with objects from the Delia Derbyshire archive.

Projects

Delia Derbyshire Day: a celebration of an electronic music pioneer

This project is engaging young people with the unique heritage of early electronic music by marking 60 years of Doctor Who.

05/12/2022

Three people are looking at worksheets and smiling.

Participants at the residential event in June 2023, as part of Heritage Trade Up.

Stories

Five tips for more robust and innovative heritage organisations

Hear from the organisations who took part in our Business Support and Enterprise campaign about how they improved organisational resilience in challenging times.

Ted at Etty & Tyler motor and cycle repair shop in Forest Gate.

Projects

Full Cycle: a history of cycling in Forest Gate

This project will look at the cycling history of Forest Gate in Newham – an important cycling epicentre in the late 19th century close to Epping Forest.

04/10/2023

Life-sized statue of a woman in a small, landscaped garden

More than a cell – statue of Henrietta Lacks (1920-1951) by Helen Wilson-Roe in Royal Fort Garden, Bristol. Photo: Bhagesh Sachania Photography.

Stories

Bringing Henrietta Lacks’ story to life in Bristol

Explore how the University of Bristol is spotlighting Henrietta’s controversial contribution to medicine and inspiring future scientists.

Group of people wearing hard hats in a courtyard of historic building, Alice Billings House in Stratford

Alice Billings House. Includes Newham’s Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz, Taryn Nixon and Selina Papa from the Heritage Fund, Creative Land Trust and Purcell’s team.

News

£800,000 funding awarded to support Newham’s heritage

From restoring an 1880s playhouse to creating a cycling heritage trail, projects across Newham will celebrate its diverse community heritage and create pride in place.

25/10/2023

The film, A Light that Never Fades will be a resource to educate about black heritage, equality and diversity.

Projects

Arthur Wharton: the world’s first black professional footballer and sprint champion

A new short film will share the story of the world’s first black professional footballer and the first official fastest man on the planet.

01/08/2023

Bo'ness war memorial is at the centre of the frame and behind it there are trees and houses. In the distance is the Firth of Forth.

The names on Bo'ness War Memorial will be the focus for Without Fear Again.

Projects

Without Fear Again: Remembering the brave men of Bo'ness

The names of the individuals on the Bo'ness War Memorial will be brought to life through the memories of the town's community.

02/10/2023

A group of children posing for a photograph, some holding family objects

Children at a workshop held during the project.

Stories

Cocorico! Exploring the heritage in our homes

A Congolese community organisation in Swansea brought people together to learn about and share their heritage through personal items.

An adult talks to a child wearing a head scarf.

Learning Through Landscapes delivered the My School My Planet project. Photo: Simon Hadley.

Blogs

How Walsall’s heritage is thriving

Our Engagement Manager, Natalie Osborne, shares the successful heritage work of Walsall – one of our 13 Areas of Focus.

28/09/2023

An aerial view of St. Conan's Kirk in Scotland.

St. Conan's Kirk, Argyll, Scotland Photo: Andrew Prins

News

£12.2million investment to help save UK’s historic buildings

From the only thatched ice house of its kind to the oldest picture house in Northern Ireland, we have awarded 12 heritage buildings life-saving support.

26/09/2023