Unleashing the power of culture: Discover the transformative impact of Clore Learning Spaces, dedicated spaces for children, families and local communities in arts and heritage organisations across the UK. Clore Learning Spaces nurture creativity and a love of art, performance and heritage.
About
A well designed, prominently positioned, dedicated learning space within cultural institutions allows schools, families and community groups to play, make, create and feel at home within the building.
Since 2000, the Clore Duffield Foundation has provided funding to support the development of Clore Learning Spaces in museums, theatre and heritage sites. We have funded around 70 Clore Learning Spaces with grants of up to £2.5m to create Clore Learning Centres in national museums and performing arts centres, to donations of less than £50,000 to fund small Clore Studios within local museums.
Following the 2022 Review of the Clore Learning Space programme, we would like to support smaller cultural organisations, right across the UK, to create Clore Learning Spaces. We have created a dedicated Small Clore Fund to encourage applications. We are concerned that existing Clore Learning Spaces remain at the forefront of cultural learning practice, ensuring more people experience the inspiration, knowledge, joy and wellbeing of cultural learning. To support our existing Clore Learning Spaces we are introducing the Fit for the Future and Challenge and Opportunity Funds.
Funding programmes
Small Clore Fund
The Foundation would like to support more small to mid-sized arts and heritage organisations, with grants of up to £200,000, to develop Clore Learning Spaces. This could include building a new space or repurposing existing rooms. If you run an arts or heritage organisation with charitable status, have an annual turnover of less than £5 million, with a public facing remit and you are considering developing a Learning Space, please take a look at the Learning Space Guidelines and the Space for Learning handbook and our FAQs. If, having read these, you are interested in making an application for consideration, please contact us at info@cloreduffield.org.uk.
Fit for the Future Fund
Existing Clore Learning Spaces can apply for a small capital grant to refurbish or re-equip their space to better meet the needs of users. We will prioritise organisations whose Clore Learning Space is over five years old, or, in the case of more recent Clore Learning Spaces, those who can demonstrate that the investment will make a step change to their learning and engagement offer - for example, to enable complex digital delivery or to adapt spaces for a broader range of learners. Grants of up to 10% of the original value (or 5% for grants over £1m) may be applied for. If you are interested and think you have a compelling case, please contact us at info@cloreduffield.org.uk
Challenge and Opportunity Fund
Existing Clore Learning Spaces can apply for a small grant to respond to immediate opportunities and challenges in delivering their learning and engagement programmes. These grants can be used to support interventions related to the cost-of-living crisis, for example, transport costs for schools and community groups who could not otherwise come or extended programming or provision for people in need. We aim to make decisions and award funding within a month wherever possible. If you run a Clore Learning Space which you believe has a case for funding via the Challenge and Opportunity Fund, please contact us at info@cloreduffield.org.uk.
Locations of Clore Learning Spaces
See the locations of existing Clore Learning Spaces
Learning Spaces Resources
We worked with experienced partners to develop a set of Space for Learning resources which we hope will help those of you planning or operating a learning space.
If you are a cultural organisation seeking advice about creating a new Learning Space you can download Space for Learning: A new handbook for creating inspirational learning spaces (2015).
If you are considering applying for funding to support your new learning space please read the Clore Duffield Foundation Learning Space Guidance and FAQs before contacting us about a potential application.
The Foundation is currently focused on supporting existing Clore Learning Spaces and is making very few new donations.
Case studies
These Clore Learning Space case studies may help you think about designing, building and making the best use of Clore Learning Spaces.