Compton Verney is one of five finalists for Art Fund Museum of the Year 2025

COMPTON Verney has been announced as one of five finalists for Art Fund Museum of the Year 2025, the world’s largest museum prize fund worth £180,000.

Art Fund, the national charity for museums and galleries, annually shortlists five outstanding museums for an award that recognises inspiring projects and activity.

In addition to looking at the overall achievements of the organisation, the judges are tasked with identifying impactful projects that spotlight the wide range of people, including museum staff and volunteers, who bring museums to life. The award covers the period from between autumn 2023 and winter 2024.

Geraldine Collinge, CEO of Compton Verney, said: “Compton Verney is absolutely delighted to be shortlisted for Art Fund Museum of the Year for our 20th anniversary year. 2024 was an extraordinary year for Compton Verney and we were thrilled to share our wonderful programme with more visitors than ever.

“I am looking forward to getting to know the other museums over the next few weeks and to celebrating the importance of museums to everybody’s lives.”

The good news follows the announcement in early March that Compton Verney was having to slash its opening hours amid a challenging financial climate. It is now shut on Tuesdays in addition to Mondays.

Established in 2004, Compton Verney is an independent charity whose core funding comes from the endowment of its founder, Sir Peter Moores – the Pools heir – which contributes around 37 per cent of funding. It also gets around three per cent from Arts Council England, but its biggest income stream comes from visitors through memberships and benefactors, donations and admissions.

Undoubtedly the museum and art gallery, located near Wellesbourne, would benefit greatly from the top prize of £120,000. The four runners up get £15,000.

The others in running for the prize include: Beamish, The Living Museum of the North (County Durham); Chapter (Cardiff); Golden Thread Gallery (Belfast); and Perth Museum (Perth).

In 2024 the Young V&A, London, scooped first place. This year the winning museum will be announced on 26th June at a ceremony at the Museum of Liverpool.

The 2025 judging panel, chaired by Art Fund director Jenny Waldman, includes: Rana Begum (artist), Dr David Dibosa (director of research and interpretation, Tate), Jane Richardson (chief executive, Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales) and Phil Wang (comedian, writer, actor).

Speaking on behalf of the judges, Ms Waldman said: “Congratulations to Compton Verney on being shortlisted for Art Fund Museum of the Year 2025. This year’s finalists are inspiring examples of museums at their best – deeply connected to their local communities, responsive to the world around them, and alive with energy and ideas.”

Visitor numbers at Compton Verney reached over 117,000 in 2023-24, marking a 30 per cent increase from pre-pandemic figures.

It continues its programming this year, with a large-scale multimedia exhibition of work by Emma Talbot (opening 5th July), assembling the artist’s recent work investigating the experience of life from birth to death. Current exhibitions include Emii Alrai’s River of Black Stone, featuring sculptures inspired by the volcanic eruptions and paintings of Vesuvius – until 15th June; and Towering Dreams: Extraordinary Architectural Drawings featuring work from the 18th and early 19th centuries – continuing until 31st August.