The National Lottery Heritage Fund

How can AI help make digital heritage more secure and accessible? 🧑💻 Josie Fraser, our Head of Digital Policy, will be discussing this today at Digital Humanities Research Hub's European Commission-funded AI-Bridges Symposium. The event addresses current challenges at the intersection of data, AI and open infrastructure, and explores new, sustainable opportunities to secure public access to culture. Josie joins an expert panel alongside Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, Wikidata’s Denny Vrandečić and others, and will also deliver the closing remarks.   This work speaks directly to our commitment to saving heritage, expanding access and supporting digital innovation across the sector.   Not going to be there but want to find out more? https://lnkd.in/eY4FcSMj Or check out our digital heritage leadership briefings on: AI: https://lnkd.in/e5_KsNNU Open licensing: https://lnkd.in/ecBfeT_P   School of Advanced Study, University of London #HeritageFund #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Digital #Innovation #OpenHeritage

This is what archives look like when they open their doors 👏 Mandy Rawlins and Emily Shepperson of Suffolk Archives tell us how they worked with a community forum to provide feedback, ideas and critiques to inform their latest project, Beyond Labels: Celebrating Disability in Suffolk. Building on award-winning work exploring LGBTQ+ histories and migration, these projects continue to open up The Hold in Ipswich to new audiences. Next, Beyond Labels will travel across the county, taking these stories even further. More about their community co-creation: https://lnkd.in/eE3_4H5w Suffolk County Council Museums + Heritage Awards #HeritageFund #LocalHistory #Community #DisabilityHistory #SuffolkArchives #NationalLottery

Wondering what we’ve been up to lately? From award-winning sustainability to children and young people projects – our May newsletter was packed! 📧 Never miss an email. Subscribe now: https://lnkd.in/ecSJtHSW #Heritage #Funding #Community #Newsletter

When farmland rich in rare species came up for sale, Ulster Wildlife acted quickly – applying for a grant from us to secure Fedian’s future. 🦋 What made it possible? Talking to our Northern Ireland engagement team for advice, getting started early on supporting documents and making use of our fast-track application process for acquisitions.   Peter McEvoy from Ulster Wildlife says: “We hope that other people in a similar position who are looking for funding hear about us and recognise their own project and what can be done, in partnership with funders, to protect nature.”   Read the Q&A: https://lnkd.in/eiyEdKc7 #HeritageFund #NationalLottery #Nature #Wildlife #NorthernIreland

It’s been an energising week at Leeds’s Royal Armouries Museum with #UKREiiF (the UK’s Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum) 2026 💫 This year culture and heritage were at the heart of rich conversations about place and we were inspired by everyone's drive to work in partnership, to make a real and lasting difference for places right across the UK. Our Executive Director Isabel Hunt chaired a discussion on placemaking in Liverpool and joined South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority to discuss how culture and heritage-led regeneration in the region is helping places and communities to thrive. Director Caroline Clark was on Scottish Cities Alliance’s panel discussing how Scotland’s rich heritage can further drive investment and Liz Shaw, our Head of Engagement (Midlands and East) explored placemaking and cultural vitality in Staffordshire and beyond. Director of Policy and External Relations Paul Bristow explored the economic power of investing in unused heritage assets, whilst our CEO Eilish McGuinness joined a panel discussion about the challenges and opportunities facing the sector in a rapidly changing world. And finally, a highlight of the week was reuniting with partners Historic England and Arts Council England at the beautiful City Varieties Music Hall for an inspiring exploration of The Poetry of Place – with poet laureate Simon Armitage. #HeritageFund ##Placemaking #Regeneration #Heritage Liverpool City Council Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Once nicknamed the Queen of Welsh Rivers, the Afon Teifi flows122km from the Cambrian Mountains to Cardigan Bay, it's course is one of Wales' most ecologically diverse and culturally rich landscapes. The Teifi Fyw project has secured over £1.4m from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to develop work on restoring the Teifi, bringing together communities, partners and expertise to respond to the challenges of biodiversity loss and climate change. Thanks to National Lottery players, this project, led by Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru / Natural Resources Wales, has a strong focus on connecting people to their natural and cultural heritage, while also creating opportunities for skills, learning and community involvement. Looking forward to seeing how this develops and the long term impact it will have. #Heritage #Wales #NatureRecovery #NLHF https://lnkd.in/eVyF4HRq

From sharks to Shakespeare – we’re investing £25million in projects engaging young people 🌟    A fresh wave of #NationalLottery supported heritage projects announced today will help inspire and create new opportunities for children and young people.     From leading research to help safeguard endangered sharks in the Greater Thames Estuary, to reciting Shakespeare in a former medieval hospital – young people will connect with a range of different types of heritage.     Our CEO Eilish McGuinness said: “These initiatives show how heritage is empowering the next generation – building confidence, skills and connecting with the heritage that matters to them – from historic places to the natural world. Thanks to National Lottery players, we’re supporting ambitious projects that care for and value heritage and give young people a voice to create lasting impact for communities across the UK.” More: https://lnkd.in/ecy8AK7z    #HeritageFund #Youth #NextGen #YouthEmpowerment #Skills #Heritage National Lottery Promotions Unit Department for Culture, Media and Sport The Marlowe Theatre Zoological Society of London (ZSL) Victoria and Albert Museum 1625 Independent People Historic Royal Palaces Friends Of Highgate Cemetery Trust

UKREiiF 2026 – where you’ll find us! 📍       We’re looking forward to being at Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds for #UKREiiF in just a weeks’ time. As the largest funder for the UK’s heritage, we see first‑hand the role heritage plays in shaping sustainable, successful places and we’re pleased to bring that perspective to the conversation.     This year we’re hosting two events 📅      Wednesday 20 May | 6–8.30pm   The Poetry of Place    Leeds City Varieties Music Hall 📍   We’re partnering with Arts Council England and Historic England to host a special fringe event with Poet Laureate Simon Armitage. Isabel Hunt, our Executive Director, will join a panel exploring what it takes to create unique, characterful places with Susan Pitter, Laura Dyer MBE, Claudia Kenyatta and Nick Ahad as compere.   Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/e9Axvd7n     Thursday 21 May | 10:30–12:00pm  Heritage‑Led Regeneration: How The National Lottery Heritage Fund Has Supported South Yorkshire to Build Better Places  SYCMA pavilion 📍  We’re partnering with South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority to host a session exploring funding opportunities, place‑based regeneration and how public–private collaboration drives sustainable development, strengthens local identity and revitalises communities. We’ll welcome Bill M. Deborah Bullivant MBE DL EdD, Ian Naylor, Andrew Gates, Syreeta Bayne MSc, FICRS and Isabel Hunt as chair.   More info: https://lnkd.in/e8TTcNS9     Here’s where else you can catch up with us 👇       Liz Shaw, Head of Engagement, Midlands & East Team   Tuesday 19 May | 10–11am   From Streets to Stages: Linking Placemaking and Cultural Vitality    Pagabo Local Growth Pavilion 📍     Isabel Hunt, Executive Director Tuesday 19 May | 11.30–12.15pm  This Must Be The Place Liverpool City Region 📍     Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive   Tuesday 19 May | 1.30–2.30pm   Invaluable Entities: Modern Challenges in the Future of Heritage Settings   Dockside Pavilion 📍      Caroline Clark, Director Scotland   Thursday 21 May | 9–10am   People and Place: How Heritage, Culture and Talent Drive Investment in Scotland   Scotland Pavilion 📍      Paul Bristow, Director of Policy and External Relations   Thursday 21 May | 9.30–10.30am   Harnessing the Power of Unused Heritage Assets for Growth   Industry in Focus Pavilion 📍       We’re glad to be contributing to UKREiiF and meeting partners from across the property, investment and cultural sectors to share ideas and develop future partnerships.       If you’re there, come and say hello 👋       #HeritageFund #NationalLottery #Heritage #Placemaking #Regeneration #Culture

Preserving, sharing and celebrating the heritage of Jewish communities across the UK 🕍 To mark the start of #JewishCultureMonth tomorrow we’re shining a light on our support for historic synagogues, helping them serve communities and share Jewish heritage across the UK. ✨ We’re funding the Foundation for Jewish Heritage’s development of a UK-wide project to provide vital support for historic synagogues, like the beautiful, Grade II* listed Middle Street Synagogue in Brighton. ✨ Dating back to 1879, Garnethill Synagogue in Glasgow is Scotland’s first purpose-built Synagogue. Since 2021 the Scottish Jewish Heritage Centre, developed with our support, has been based at the site. ✨ A project at Sir Moses Montefiore Synagogue is carrying out emergency repairs on the 19th century building and sharing the story of Jewish heritage in Grimsby with local communities. ✨ We helped restore and upgrade facilities at Grade II listed Leicester Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, making it more welcoming and accessible. A new heritage and education centre is helping Leicester’s Jewish community share and celebrate their heritage more widely.  Image credits: Foundation for Jewish Heritage, Garnethill Synagogue Preservation Trust, Heritage Lincolnshire, Hollis Photography UK. #JewishCultureMonth #JewishHeritage #HeritageFund GARNETHILL SYNAGOGUE PRESERVATION TRUST Heritage Lincolnshire National Lottery Promotions Unit Department for Culture, Media and Sport

We’re hiring! If you’re excited about helping ensure that heritage is inclusive and accessible to everyone, for now and future generations, then we want to hear from you. Business Delivery Assistant (Midlands and East)  📍Birmingham (Hybrid Working) 📆 Wednesday 20 May  🔗 https://lnkd.in/eqBfssPq Marketing and Communications Manager (Good Causes Summaries) 📍 Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester or Nottingham (Hybrid Working) 📆 Wednesday 20 May  🔗 https://lnkd.in/eFDTG2Nz Head of Investment (London and South)  📍 Exeter or London (Hybrid Working) 📆 Monday 25 May  🔗 https://lnkd.in/eWnQAZgm Senior Engagement Manager (London and South)   📍London (Hybrid Working) 📆 Sunday 31 May 🔗 https://lnkd.in/e7kfWSuH Senior Programme Manager: National Lottery  📍 Belfast, Birmingham, Cambridge, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Leeds or Manchester (Hybrid Working) 📆 Sunday 7 June 🔗 https://lnkd.in/erJRYpBd #HeritageFund #HeritageJobs #Jobs #Careers