Help Shape the Future of the Gallery

The purpose of this website has always been to ensure that the William Morris Gallery is kept open; that the service is not run down or dummed down; that we publicise the gallery to a wide audience and maintain the gallery’s international reputation.

Keep Our Museums Open, The Friends of The William Morris Gallery and tens of thousands of people signed the petition against the part-time opening hours, poor treatment of experienced staff and dumming down of the service have and wrote to Waltham Forest Council in protest.

In response, the council amended the part-time opening hours, which are now restored to full time (10am - 5pm, Weds to Sun) and invested in new posts and publicity for the gallery.

Help shape William Morris Gallery’s future

In March 2009 it was announced that the gallery has successfully won the first stage of Heritage Lottery Funding (£80,000) to draw up plans to further develop William Morris Gallery. Peter Cormack began this process, before his untimely departure from the gallery and in his absense, external consultants were drafted in to help finalise the bid. The Friends have been asked to help raise the money needed to turn the dream into a reality.

The aim is to create a first class visitor facility and centre of excellence for the study of William Morris and the Arts & Crafts Movement. It is an exciting opportunity to see the development of the Gallery with extented exhibition space, better storage facilities for the reserve collection and an enhanced educational space and programme of activities.

The project will help create a sustainable future for this beautiful building and it’s highly important collections.

The Friends are aiming to raise £1 million by Spring 2010. Substaintial matched funding is necessary if a second HLF grant is to be obtained which would enable a more extensive redevelopment to be undertaken.

Keep Our Museums Open is therefore transferring all support to the Friends of William Morris Gallery to help them raise match funding of £1 million.

Please join the Friends, join the Friends Mailing List and the Friends page on Facebook and help spread the word.

Thank you all for you continued support. Together, we have made an enormous difference. This site will remain online, and the history will remind all of the ever present threat of cuts and the need to remain committed and vigilant.