The Beaney bags grant to boost young people’s mental health
The Beaney House of Art and Knowledge has been awarded £65,000 from the Museums Association’s Health and Wellbeing in Museums Fund to deliver an ambitious programme supporting young people’s mental health in the district.
The project will aim to offer participants creative tools and cultural experiences at The Beaney to improve their mental health, building on the museum’s long-running commitment to health and wellbeing.
Working with The Beaney’s Be Connected Network and with local young people, the initiative will include artist-led workshops offering the opportunity to make meaningful changes in the museum by embedding new ideas from young people into the galleries.
The project will also allow The Beaney to signpost to mental health support more widely, collaborate with local charities and health care providers, and advocate for the important role museums and heritage can play in supporting mental health and wellbeing in communities.
The programme will be delivered over two years, kicking off later in 2025.
Cllr Charlotte Cornell, Cabinet Member for Culture and Heritage, said: “Securing this funding is fantastic news for The Beaney and for young people right across our district.
“The museum team works tirelessly to create a supportive and inclusive space for residents, and this project will allow them to strengthen our engagement with young people and really listen to what matters most to them.
“A huge thanks to the Museums Association for helping us continue the brilliant work The Beaney does to support mental health and wellbeing in our community.”
Note to editors
The Health and Wellbeing in Museums Fund from the Museums Association is a programme of grant-making, networking and learning dissemination, funded by the Julia Rausing Trust.
Grants will enable the development and continuation of groundbreaking health and wellbeing programmes in UK museums during a time of financial crisis and increasing demand for services.
https://www.museumsassociation.org/funding/health-and-wellbeing
Published: 30 September 2025