GREAT PALCE NATIONS

The Great Place Scheme is running in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland (NI). In England, the Scheme is running in collaboration with Arts Council England and Historic England. The Great Place Scheme in England opened in August 2016.

In March 2017 a total of £20million was awarded to 16 places. The grants are ranging between £500,000 and £1,500,000 and grantees now have three years to complete their projects. A consultant has already been appointed in June 2017 to evaluate the programme in England.

This brief regards the evaluation of the Great Place Scheme in Scotland, Wales and NI. This part of the scheme is being run solely by HLF. In all three countries grants are ranging between £100,000 and £500,000 for activity to be delivered over a period of up to three years. This is a match funding scheme and grantees are requested to have a minimum cash contribution of 10% of total project cost.

The Great Place Scheme in Scotland opened in March 2017. In December 2017 a total of £ 2.45million was awarded to nine places. The Great Place Scheme in Wales opened in May 2017, with a total of £ 1.6million awarded to five places in March 2018. The Great Place Scheme in NI opened in June 2017 and decisions will be announced in March 2018. Funding is available for two to four places across NI.

We would like to understand what the value of the Great Place Scheme in Scotland, Wales and NI has been, what it has enabled organisations to achieve, and whether there are new or different findings from these cohorts of grantees which can add to our knowledge of the value of place-making in the heritage sector. A FULL DESCRIPTION IS AVAILABLE IN THE ATTACHED ITT DOCUMENT