2025 – 2026

Consortium Grants Awarded 2026

Behind the Curtain: Exploring Theatre Archives in Wales – £150,000

Consortium: Archives and Records Council Wales (ARCW), Gwent Archives, North East Wales Archives, National Library of Wales, Glamorgan Archives, Gwynedd Archives

Wales has a rich history of storytelling, with its Bardic performance dating back centuries and a focus on poetry, literature and musical performance still central to modern eisteddfodau. From the mid-20^th century this included a notable expansion in regional theatre across Wales, bringing performance in English and Welsh into the heart of communities. This project will raise the curtain on collections, which collectively evidence the development of Welsh theatrical and musical performance from this period into the present day, through cataloguing and community activities.

Dr Lisa Snook, Chair of ARCW, says: “This is an exciting opportunity for six services across Wales to work together and unlock the stories in these fascinating collections.  The collections are varied, but together demonstrate innovation, national and regional successes as well as the impact of increasing constraints on funding for the arts. We look forward to discovering more and sharing the collections with our communities.

Milestones in Care: tracing the history of Scotland’s first AIDS hospice – £132,100

Consortium: Lothian Health Services Archive (University of Edinburgh), National Library of Scotland Moving Image Archive and Waverley Care

Milestone House was Scotland’s first purpose-built AIDS hospice, opened by HIV and hepatitis C charity, Waverley Care, in Edinburgh, 1991. At a time when effective HIV treatments were unavailable and stigma was widespread; it provided care and support from diagnosis to death. Although the hospice closed in February 2026, this project will preserve its remarkable archive and ensure the experiences of those connected to Milestone House remain accessible for future generations. The consortium between Lothian Health Services Archive, National Library of Scotland Moving Image Archive and Waverley Care brings together expertise from across central Scotland and will open the archive to an audience too young to appreciate the profound human impact of AIDS in the later 20^th Century.

Grant Sugden, Chief Executive of Waverley Care, says: “Preserving and sharing the archive will honour those lost, challenge HIV stigma and help future generations understand this important history.”

Sgaoileadh an Sgeòil / Spreading the story – £146,112

Consortium: High Life Highland, Scottish Council on Archives, Tasglann nan Eilean, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, and Sabhal Mòr Ostaig (the National Centre for Gaelic Language and Culture).

This project will safeguard and expand access to Scotland’s Gaelic archival heritage. It supports the preservation, visibility and use of Gaelic by improving access to culturally significant records and aligns with the ambitions of Scotland’s National Languages Act. Through coordinated cataloguing and digitisation, important collections across Skye, Lochalsh and the Western Isles will be preserved and made more accessible in both Gaelic and English. This will improve discoverability and support exhibitions, workshops and community engagement across the Highlands and Islands, Scotland and beyond.

Catherine MacPhee, Skye and Lochalsh Archivist, says: “this project will bring important collections into greater public view, helping communities reconnect with their heritage while ensuring these collections are preserved and accessible for generations to come.”

The Vindolanda Trust – £149,996

The Vindolanda Trust will lead a partnership with Durham University and North East Museums to catalogue five archives relating to Hadrian’s Wall, including focus on archaeologists, sites and artefacts, engaging with communities though initiatives such as an artist residency, an online exhibition and conferences.

The Vindolanda Trust runs Vindolanda and the Roman Army Museum which are both part of the Frontiers of the Roman Empire UNESCO World Heritage Site. Durham University is a UK top 10 Russell Group university and includes the Museum of Archaeology. North East Museums manage twelve museums and galleries and the Archives for Tyne and Wear, including Arbeia South Shields Roman Fort and Great North Museum: Hancock.

Veryan Johnston, The Vindolanda Trust’s Chair of Trustees, says: “We are excited about this partnership and the opportunity it presents for people to connect to the history of Hadrian’s Wall from a different perspective, through its archival record, complementing the archaeological remains”.