A curatorial development fund worth £500,000 (US$645,000, €550,000) has been created to help already established curators of museums and galleries in the UK learn new ways of working.

Financed by the John Ellerman Foundation, the Regional Museums and Galleries Fund has earmarked the funds to be awarded through 2018, with a focus on visual and decorative arts, and natural history collections.

The fund will prioritise regional museums and galleries with average grants of £85,000 handed out over two to three years. National institutions may also apply if their project brings significant benefits to the regions.

“We want to help organisations enhance and sustain curatorial development to attract a broader public,” said a statement from the Foundation.

“In the current climate they face increasing challenges from funding cuts and curatorial under-provision, reducing their scope to research and display collections and create new exhibitions.

“The fund will aim to help strengthen regional museums and galleries in the UK.”

An application deadline has been set for 1 December. For more information, click here.