Chichester Museum In Limbo Over Arts Council Accreditation

Chichester’s Novium Museum should find out in August if it will again receive accreditation.

The museum, in Tower Street, received accreditation in 2015 and has to submit a new application to the Arts Council England. As part of the process, its policies had to be reviewed.

During a meeting of Chichester District Council’s cabinet on Tuesday (May 13), updates to four policies were approved – those relating to: access; collections, care & conservation; collections development; and documentation.

The Accreditation Standard covers three broad areas of museum activity: collections, organisational health, and users and their experiences.

Amanda Rogan, of the Novium, said it was ‘extremely important’ and, without it, the museum’s work would be hindered.

She added:

“We wouldn’t be eligible for funding from a lot of major funding bodies if we can’t show that we follow the museum standard – they won’t give us funds to do the work if they don’t think we’ll do it correctly.”

There has been good news on the funding front over the last few weeks.

It was announced that an application to the National Lottery Heritage Fund had been successful, with a grant of £117,266 being awarded.

The money will help the Novium to deliver a project called ‘ChichestHER: Their Story, Our Inspiration’.

Running from June 2025 to March 2027, it will shine a light on the lives, work, and achievements of women, past and present, across the Chichester district.

The project will explore the impact women have made to life in the district, from suffrage and education to art, medicine, politics, and beyond.

It will research, collect and share stories, highlight and address gaps in the museum’s collections, and encourage the public to contribute their own research and memories.

John Cross, cabinet member for culture, sport & place, said of the accreditation bid:

“This is the skeleton on which all that funding eventually hangs.”

To find out more about the Novium, log on to www.thenovium.org.uk .