A MUSEUM has secured funds towards an initiative that brings heritage industries together through digital projects.

The Bowes Museum, in Barnard Castle, has been awarded £1,400 from the Creative Fuse North East Innovation Pilot Scheme.

The money will be used to help establish digital workshops and nurture creativity between heritage industries such as the Museum’s latest initiative, The Bowes Centre for Art, Craft and Design, technology industries and universities.

The Bowes Museum wants to develop its digital policy and the new Centre will have both a physical presence at the Museum and a vibrant online community.

The Museum’s collections, archives and expertise will provide the material to test new technologies and digital approaches.

It will start with education outreach projects such as family coding workshops and plans include virtual exhibitions; programming activity; downloadable content and 3D artefact scanning.

Matthew Read, director of the new Centre, which falls under the umbrella of The Bowes Museum, said: “We are delighted that Creative Fuse has recognised the long term potential in bringing these various industries together to work on digital projects, paving the way to make the North East of England a beacon of technology for the future.”

Creative Fuse North East is a unique partnership between Newcastle, Northumbria, Durham, Sunderland and Teesside Universities and is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, the European Regional Development Fund, and Arts Council England.