The Ipswich Arts & Museum (I-AM) team is now reviewing the scope and timeline of the multi-million High Street refurbishment project.
The decision comes after being informed by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) that it will not receive grant funding this year. Leaders believe the project remains essential both culturally and economically to Ipswich and Suffolk and will now look at funding options, time scales and assessing I-AM’s continuing viability.
I-AM, which will bring together heritage, performance arts and visual arts together in High Street, will cost £23 million and more than a quarter of that has been pledged by Ipswich Borough Council. It aims to create a first-class visitor attraction, improve Ipswich’s heritage and cultural offer, boost the local economy and create jobs in the heritage sector.
While the HLF has turned down the £4.8 million application, other bids and discussions with funders remain ongoing - with decisions from Arts Council England and New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership expected in the spring.
The I-AM team has welcomed the successful bid by one of its partners, Sutton Hoo. All the partners are working towards improving the heritage offer in the area and improving our ability to tell stories such as the amazing Anglo-Saxon story of this part of Suffolk.
Councillor Carole Jones, Museums portfolio-holder, said: “This is disappointing but we will now sit down and review our position because we believe the project is incredibly important both in economic and cultural terms for Ipswich and Suffolk. We are down but definitely not out! However, the HLF has invested in Ipswich, with grants to Christchurch and Holywells parks and, just recently, a development grant to revive Broomhill pool, a project also supported financially by the Borough Council."
