Culture vultures in Chichester have hit the jackpot thanks to the National Lottery funding that has prompted three venues to throw open their doors and welcome visitors for free.
Pallant House Gallery, Cass Sculpture Foundation and Weald & Downland Museum — beneficiaries of funding from Heritage Lottery Fund — are offering National Lottery players free entry in December. Meanwhile, visitors to Chichester Festival Theatre will receive a free book on the story of the theatre.
Simon Martin, director of Pallant House Gallery, said: “Thanks to National Lottery players, cultural organisations across the UK have been able to fund a variety of projects that help us understand, value and share our heritage. In the Chichester area, this has meant helping us to create new spaces, such as Pallant House Gallery’s contemporary wing which quadrupled the Gallery’s exhibition space.
“Such projects allow us better opportunities to share our collections and improve our visitor experience, thereby contributing to the rich historic and artistic culture that Chichester offers.”
These venues are just some of 350 participating National Lottery funded visitor attractions across the UK in saying thanks to people who have raised money for good causes by buying a lottery ticket.
Pallant House Gallery is offering National Lottery players free entry to the gallery on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 December 2017. The gallery’s award-winning contemporary wing, designed by Long & Kentish architects in association with Colin St John Wilson in 2006, was largely funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Cass Sculpture Foundation is offering one free entrance ticket with each lottery ticket between 11-15 December . Thanks to the Heritage Lottery Fund, CASS will launch its INSPIRE project in 2018 which aims to increase access to their extraordinary collections and archive and develop a new Education and Outreach programme.
Weald and Downland Living Museum is offering free entry to the museum on Monday 11 December 2017 for National Lottery players. The Museum’s new visitor centre, which opened earlier this year, was partially funded by the Heritage Lottery fund.
On 11 December Chichester Festival Theatre will be presenting National Lottery players with a free copy of Restored, Refreshed, Renewed, a lavishly illustrated book telling the story of Chichester Festival Theatre’s much-loved Grade 2* listed building and its restoration through the Renew redevelopment project, which was supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund in 2012.
Ros Kerslake, chief executive of the Heritage Lottery Fund, said: “December is a wonderful time to experience the UK’s rich, diverse and exciting heritage, which has been transformed by more than £7bn National Lottery funding since 1994. This is a small gesture of thanks and a way of giving something back to the people who buy tickets.”
To take part, any visitor who presents a National Lottery ticket or scratchcard at the Chichester venues on the dates listed above will receive their free reward.
