We are Leicester Museums and Galleries Development Trust

We’ve been supporting and developing Leicester’s museums and collections for nearly 100 years.

Our Story

Supporting Leicester’s museums for almost a century

We are Leicester Museums and Galleries Development Trust - a charity dedicated to promoting and growing the work and collections of Leicester’s museums.

Our financial support helps Leicester Museums and Galleries to put on exciting education, events and exhibition programmes, and acquire inspiring objects and exhibits for the people of Leicester to enjoy.

Our vision

Developing inspiring museums and collections

Set up in 1930 and previously known as the City of Leicester Museums’ Trust, our funding comes from public donations, private donations, bequests, and financial support from cultural organisations such as Arts Council England, the V&A, and the Art Fund.

Leicester Museums and Galleries Development Trust is a registered charity (no.1199639).

Recent Projects We've Supported

Newborn, Rigby Graham (b.1931- d.2015)

Rigby Graham was a celebrated landscape and mural painter who lived in Leicester. He was instrumental in the establishment of Leicester Polytechnic (now De Montfort University). Many of Graham's murals are lost through overpainting or building demolition, so the oil painting ‘Newborn’ is a rare and important example of his work.

Statue of Sethmose and Isisnofret

This black granite statue was made in Egypt more than 3,000 years ago and gifted to the son of travel pioneer Thomas Cook in the late 19th century. The statue was likely made with royal permission and designed to be on display in a public place or temple.

'Take Me Home'. Screen printed glass by Anthony Amoako-Attah (b.1989)

‘Take Me Home’, is a sculptural glass bag manipulated to look like woven fabric. The work is based on the woven plastic bags used by Ghanaians who were forcefully expelled from Nigeria in 1983. Anthony Amoako-Attah is a Ghanaian-born artist currently based in Sunderland. His work explores themes of migration, dislocation, and personal identity using traditional Kente designs and Adinkra symbols from Ghana.

Our Trustees

Will Gilding Chair Of Trustees

I have been involved as a Museum Trustee since 2018 when I joined the then City of Leicester Museum Trust, now the LMGDT. As an auctioneer, professionally, I am used to selling artworks but my involvement with the Trust provides a unique opportunity to be involved with acquiring artworks for the public collection.

Born and raised in Leicester, I have always highly valued the amazing cultural diversity of the city and its people. The museum venues are fantastic spaces for us to share our cultural histories, our stories, and celebrate our craft and creativity.

Rita Bullivant

I was born in Leicester and grew up in the city centre. My primary school teacher to whom I shall be eternally grateful introduced all of us to the world of museums which I have been passionate about ever since.

I became a trustee for the Museum Trust as a way to become more involved with the charity so I could do more to help. I am a full-time working mum with two young girls, a dog, a cat and plenty of fish in the pond!

My career in technology has taken me around the world where I have been able to enjoy museums in all sorts of environments, including The Falkland Islands where I saw how the local community had created one specifically post the war. I was also a magistrate for over 20 years.

Ella Joyce

I joined the board in 2021 and have been privileged to be part of the Trust’s transition to becoming the Leicester Museums and Galleries Development Trust. Like many of our other trustees, I was born and raised in Leicester and spent much of my childhood visiting our wonderful local museums - which I credit entirely for sparking a lifelong love for art, history and archeology.

My professional background is in strategic communication in the higher education and creative sector. I currently work as a Communications Manager for University of the Arts London (UAL). I love being part of such a creative environment and telling the story of why it’s so important that we have access to the arts.

Donate

Our mission is to make art accessible

Leicester Museums and Galleries Development Trust relies on donations to help deliver the work we do. Your donation will help us to care for Leicester’s collections and run an inspiring programme of learning, exhibitions and engagement.
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