DMAC Turns 10

This year we’re marking ten years since our major redevelopment, and we’ve got something important at the top of our wish list. We’re asking for 1,000 people to donate £10 to help us through our next chapter.

Your donation will support DMAC as we launch into the next ten years.

 

How It All Started

The museum was founded by Hilary and Joanna Bourne in 1985, when they were 78 and 76 years old respectively. The sisters bought the former village school and opened the doors to the first iteration of Ditchling Museum.

Nearly 30 years on, a bold capital project was developed to address the poor state of the building and protect the internationally important collection.

A Grand Reopening

On 20th September 2013 after a major refurbishment, Sir Nicholas Serota (former Director of Tate, now Chair of Arts Council England) opened the new Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft. The £2.3m redevelopment was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, as well as many generous donations by charitable trusts, foundations and individuals.

Now, ten years on from the major transformation, Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft is a thriving museum, embedded in our local community and receiving national recognition for our important collection, vibrant exhibitions and engaging outreach work.

How You Can Help

The cost of running the museum is £253 a day (up from £106 in early 2020), and that’s without any staffing costs. From maintaining the ambient temperature required to preserve our collection to clearing out the gutters to avoid leaks, maintaining the museum is costly. We know it’s not the most exciting stuff, but these are the essential, behind-the-scenes costs of running a museum.

The impact of our extended closure during Covid-19 was huge. With the additional pressures of the cost-of-living crisis and high energy prices, we are facing tough times.

We’re asking for 1,000 people to donate £10 to help us through our next chapter. Your donation will support DMAC as we launch into the next ten years. We’re trying to reach our target of £10,000 by Christmas. If we achieve our goal, the support will help us fund exciting projects including a re-display of our permanent collection and the presentation of major exhibitions in 2024. It will also help us keep the lights on, and the leaks at bay!

Please donate £10 today to help secure Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft’s future. Thank you. If you’d like to make a larger gift, you may be interested in our Patrons Scheme.