Boost for Creswell Crags as its awarded prestigious National Portfolio Organisation status

Creswell Heritage Trust, the charitable organisation responsible for managing Creswell Crags, has been awarded a total of £1,075,125, which will be spread over three years from April 2023.

Receiving National Portfolio Organisation status is a major achievement for Creswell Crags, and comes after Arts Council England decided to increase funding to organisations outside of London for its National Portfolio for 2023-26.

Paul Baker, Creswell Heritage Trust director, said the funding marks an “exciting time” in the history of Creswell Crags.

He said: “Achieving National Portfolio Status has been a long-term ambition for Creswell Crags. This funding will enable us to work with our community in exciting new ways.

“Our story is deeply rooted in the stories of human behaviour and survival which translate to contemporary issues such as climate change, migration and species extinction, and our plan is to work with visitors in creative ways to explore these themes.

“It will transform the way we work, and who we can work with; this investment will enable us to better address some of the contemporary issues which concern our visitors.

“This funding provides crucial investment into Creswell Crags for the next three years and offers essential support for our team to keep delivering the brilliant work they do, as well as enabling them to work with our visitors in new ways.”

With the funding, visitors can expect to see new installations at Creswell Crags, including a new Ice Age settlement.

Visitors will be given the opportunity to learn the skills and technologies of Ice Age Hunters, exploring questions of how our ancestors were able to utilise and adapt to the changing landscape.

Activities will be delivered in person and through new digital content, enabling Creswell Crags to reach a wider audience than ever before and support engagement across multiple levels.

Peter Knott, area director for Arts Council England, said: "Creswell Crags is a great example of Nottinghamshire's rich ancient history and allows visitors to walk in the footsteps of early humans and woolly mammoths.

“We're delighted to be welcoming the heritage site to the portfolio, as it continues to preserve and interpret its collections for local, national and international audiences to enjoy.”