Preston Harris Museum team who will help create bid for £4.7m funding for the historic building announced

The historic building, which houses an art gallery, museum and library, was awarded an initial development grant of £180,900 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) in December 2018 to help Preston City Council and Lancashire County Council progress their plans to apply for a full National Lottery grant this November.

The bid for 4.7million will support a £10.7million project, which is also backed by £3.6million of funding in place from both councils, the Preston, South Ribble and Lancashire City Deal, Arts Council England and local supporters.

It is hoped it will be bolstered further by the #HarrisYourPlace public fundraising campaign.

The newly announced team will work with the council to develop the plans for the authority's second application to the National Lottery Heritage Fund in November 2020.

It includes project management firm Focus Consulting, Buttress Architects Ltd, accessibility consultants Direct Access Consultancy, designers Ralph Applebaum Associates, activity planners Emma Parsons Consulting and quantity surveyors Ridge and Partners LLP.

If the bid is successful in obtaining all the funding needed, a project to establish the Grade I listed Harris landmark as a cultural centre housing the UK’s first blended museum, art gallery and library will begin in spring 2021.

The council says it has the potential to be far more than an iconic building because it is at a significant point in its history, part-way through a "journey of innovation and change" in the role it plays in Preston, in Lancashire and beyond.

Part of the project aims to create welcoming thoroughfares through the building by using existing - but disused - entrance ways.

Visitors will be able to engage with the collections in a new way, not only in traditional galleries but also woven into other public areas such as cafes and activity areas.

Coun Matthew Brown, Leader at Preston City Council, said: " “Following the generous support from National Lottery Heritage Fund for such an important project for Preston, thanks to National Lottery players, it’s wonderful news that we can announce the project team helping us achieve our vision for The Harris.

“Now the project can start to take shape and, depending upon funding decisions, enable the jewel of Preston to realise its full potential. I cannot wait to watch the transformation in the coming years and see it become even more important to the community it serves.

"The project will help further the regeneration of our city centre as well as benefit the local economy by one of our key anchor institutions.”

Focus Consulting partner, Steven Fletcher said: “Focus Consultants is proud to have been part of the team that put together the bid for the redevelopment for this building, which is a proud landmark that has been at the centre of Preston’s cultural and social life for 125 years and we are absolutely delighted to have been appointed to project manage the scheme going forward.”

Neal Charlton, Director at Buttress Architects, added: “Re-Imagining the Harris will enhance the role the building plays in the community and encourage more visitors to connect with its important collections in new ways. We look forward to working with the council and the wider project team to bring this exciting vision to life.”

Managing director at Direct Access Consultants, Steven Mifsud, said: “ Working alongside the Architects and Designers we will utilise our team of disabled people and NRAC Consultants to ensure that the museum can be enjoyed by all.

"This is an exciting opportunity to open up and turn a Grade 1 Listed site into an extremely accessible venue that promotes inclusion whilst not taking away from the original aesthetics of the building.”

Phillip Tefft, Director, RAA London said: “The Harris occupies an astonishing building at the heart of Preston's community. Our vision is to take the best of the Harris and shape it into a new kind of place. Together with our partners, we will create a destination that is a far cry from a traditional museum, library or gallery: a place that is dynamic and continually renewed by visitors, celebrates creativity and puts Preston squarely on the cultural map.”

Emma Parsons, Arts and Heritage consultant said, "We are thrilled to be working on this project with the Harris team and are working to build a robust plan to engage yet more local communities with their work going forward. "

Ridge and Partners said, “Ridge is proud to be involved in the re-imagining of the Harris, a building which is not only historically significant, but also an important part of Preston’s social and cultural heritage. We are looking forward to working with Preston Council to deliver a space the local community can enjoy.”

The Harris boasts art collections of national significance, exciting activities and events for all ages and an award-winning contemporary art programme, and is home to Lancashire’s largest library.

It welcomes more than 350,000 visitors a year and hosts the Discover Preston gallery, which tells the story of how Preston changed the world.