Creswell Crags has been awarded National Portfolio Organisation status from Arts Council England, which means it will receive £1,075,125 over three years from April 2023. 

The funding will enable the team at Creswell Crags to work with local communities to be trailblazers in digital engagement and to improve the visitor experience.  Working in collaboration with partners, Creswell Crags will invite audiences to explore, engage, question, and contribute to the themes and ambitions of different activities.

Each activity taps into the history of the site and will connect visitors with stories of the past and their lives today.

Visitors can expect to see new installations at Creswell Crags, including a new Ice Age settlement.  This settlement will enable visitors to explore human adaptation and the evolution of tools and technology, making connections between lives today and those of the past.

Artists will work in collaboration with the local community to explore themes of climate change, focusing on the impact of humans on the environment.  This work will incorporate research into extinct species of the past and help visitors to reflect on those at threat today.

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.

Paul Baker, director of Creswell Heritage Trust, 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.  This is an exciting time in the history of Creswell Crags, and we can’t wait to get started.”