New lottery funding for Open University Welsh heritage project

The Open University in Wales has secured funding to develop a groundbreaking heritage project.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) have awarded a grant to the OU and its Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences to support the next phase of Wales REACH (Residents engaging in arts, culture and heritage), which was set up in partnership with Amgueddfa Cymru. The project team will support people in five parts of Wales to explore their connections to their area and its history through the arts.

The announcement follows a development phase in 2023, which was also funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

During that phase, community members used artforms such as painting and drawing, writing creative and photography to reflect on the heritage of their local areas. The next stage will run over 150 more arts and heritage events over the following two years

‘Thanks to lottery players and the National Lottery Heritage Fund, we’ve been able to develop Wales REACH so that we can work with more people than ever before, introducing them to new creative skills and connecting with their heritage,’ said Dr Richard Marsden, the academic lead on the project.

‘Wales REACH will help people from all walks of life to understand more about their community its history through creative activities. Through this, we’ll show the benefit of lifelong learning, help improve skills, and get people thinking about their own wellbeing.’

In 2020-22, the OU delivered BG REACH, a similar project for people living in Blaenau Gwent

Plans for the next stage of Wales REACH include:

• a digital exhibition on the Wales REACH website
• an in-person exhibition at St. Fagans National Museum of History
• an online archive of work produced by people involved in the project on the People’s Collection Wales website
• pop-up exhibitions and installations around the five communities
• three new online courses on the OU’s free learning platform Openlearn.

About the National Lottery Heritage Fund

The National Lottery Heritage Fund is the largest funder for the UK’s heritage. Using money raised by National Lottery players we support projects that connect people and communities to heritage. Our vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future. From historic buildings, our industrial legacy and the natural environment, to collections, traditions, stories and more. Heritage can be anything from the past that people value and want to pass on to future generations. We believe in the power of heritage to ignite the imagination, offer joy and inspiration, and to build pride in place and connection to the past.