Shambellie House Trust has today June the 22nd 2017 received funding from Heritage Lottery Fund, Architectural Heritage Fund, Dumfries and Galloway Council, and Scottish Enterprise to develop plans to re-purpose Shambellie House in New Abbey, Dumfries and Galloway.
Shambellie House, originally built by the Stewart family, was the National Museum of Costume from 1977 to 2013, when it closed. Since then, the Trust has been working with the Scottish Government, which owns the building, to re-purpose it for the benefit of the community.
The Trust proposes to develop Shambellie House as a centre for day and residential courses on photography, arts, crafts, history, wildlife and the environment. The overall vision is to develop the house as a resource centre and base from which to explore Dumfries and Galloway more widely, connecting the centre to the wider community and allowing the courses to benefit fully from the environment, culture and history of Dumfries and Galloway.
The grants support the first phase of work, focusing on business development: working with architects to cost out capital works; market research; developing the Trust’s Board; product development through community workshops; and business planning. It is expected that this development phase will last about 12 months, after which the Trust hopes to be in a position to apply for capital funding.
Commenting on the award, Gordon Mann, Chair of the Trust, said: “We are thrilled to have received support thanks to National Lottery players, alongside Architectural Heritage Fund, Dumfries and Galloway Council, and Scottish Enterprise. We are confident that Shambellie House has a great future that will benefit New Abbey and Dumfries and Galloway in general.”
Lucy Casot, Head of HLF Scotland, said: “Resilient Heritage allows the heritage sector to build financial independence and resilience in a changing economic landscape of reduced
public funding. It provides a tailored package of support that responds to the individual needs of organisations such as Shambellie House Trust, so, thanks to National Lottery players, they can not only survive in these challenging financial times, but thrive.”
Shambellie House Trust was established in July 2015 following a decision by the National Museum of Scotland to close Shambellie House, New Abbey, as the National Museum of Costume. It is a company limited by guarantee (Company reg. no. 507404) and with charitable status (SC024140), with a Board of Trustees comprising people from the local communities with a range of expertise and experience.
The Trust’s objectives are: 1. To arrange for the buildings and grounds to be used for the advancement of arts, heritage and culture, and to provide facilities for the arts and providing heritage benefit to the community by preserving the listed building of Shambellie House (including any outbuildings or associated buildings and grounds). 2. To arrange for the buildings and grounds to be used for the advancement of education, in particular arts, culture and the environment.
