Following an outstanding response to this year’s digitisation grant programme, we were delighted to reveal the three winners during a special announcement at the ARA Annual Conference in Glasgow, on 5th August 2026.
As ever, the quality of applications was exceptional, reflecting the remarkable breadth and depth of collections that together form the foundation of the UK’s rich cultural heritage.
Our judging panel, Kathryn Tollervey, Audrey Wilson, John Chambers, and Casper Smithson, faced the challenging but rewarding task of reviewing every application in detail. Each submission represented significant time, dedication, and passion, and the judges were grateful for the opportunity to encounter such diverse and inspiring projects.
After careful consideration, ten winners were selected, each offering an important and distinctive contribution to the preservation and accessibility of our shared heritage. All ten winners are awarded £3,000 in funding.
So, who are the 10 winners? In no particular order, find out below...
Watch our winners' announcement video:
Congratulations to our ten winners - we will be in touch to discuss your digitisation projects very soon!
Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB)
From William Morris to Stonehenge, the SPAB archive is one of the oldest collections of material dedicated to building conservation.
By digitising its earliest case files, the project will preserve fragile archives and open up a remarkable collection of historic documents, photographs and architectural records for generations of researchers and heritage enthusiasts.
Black Country Living Museum
Black Country Living Museum is unlocking over 150 years of industrial innovation by digitising the Archibald Kenrick & Sons trade catalogue collection.
The project will preserve a nationally significant manufacturing archive while creating new opportunities to explore the people, products and stories that helped shape Britain's industrial heritage.
The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI)
Since 1831, RUSI has been shaping debate on defence and global security.
This project will preserve and digitise nearly two centuries of unique archives - from council minutes and military records to letters, photographs and maps - unlocking hidden stories and making this remarkable collection accessible to researchers, students and the public through a searchable digital archive.
St Bride Foundation
St Bride Foundation is bringing one of the UK's most remarkable collections of historic broadsides into the digital age.
By digitising more than 1,000 eighteenth and nineteenth century printed broadsides and a rare illustrated scrapbook, the project will preserve a unique record of popular culture, printing and everyday life, making these fascinating stories accessible to researchers, educators and the public worldwide.
Suffolk Archives
Suffolk Archives is preserving the remarkable legacy of archaeologist Basil Brown by digitising nearly 800 historic photographic negatives, including rare images from the iconic 1939 Sutton Hoo excavation.
The project will safeguard these fragile records while opening up one of Britain's most significant archaeological collections, inspiring new research and bringing the story of Sutton Hoo to audiences around the world.
The Cartoon Museum
The Cartoon Museum is preserving the rich history of British cartoon art by digitising a selection of its earliest original artworks, dating from the 1700s to the 1900s.
Featuring pioneering artists including Hogarth, Gillray and Cruikshank, the project will unlock greater public access to these remarkable works, supporting learning, research and inspiring future generations through a vibrant digital collection.
RSPCA
The RSPCA is unlocking 200 years of animal welfare history by digitising unique inspector service records and executive committee minute books dating back to the 1850s.
Rich with personal stories and local history, this project will preserve irreplaceable archives while making them more accessible to researchers, family historians and communities exploring the evolution of animal welfare across England and Wales.
Royal Cornwall Museum
The Royal Cornwall Museum is preserving one of Cornwall's most important historical archives by digitising highlights from the renowned Charles Henderson Collection.
Spanning the 1400s to the 1700s, these unique manuscripts, maps and legal records will reveal centuries of Cornish history, making this extraordinary collection more accessible to researchers, local communities and people with Cornish heritage around the world.
Corby Community Arts
Corby Community Arts is preserving the story of a town shaped by change by digitising its remarkable archive of community photography.
Capturing over four decades of local life, creativity and regeneration, the project will safeguard thousands of historic images while creating a vibrant digital archive that celebrates Corby's people, places and shared memories for generations to come.
St John Ambulance Cymru
For more than a century, St John Ambulance Cymru has been at the heart of communities across Wales.
This project will preserve and digitise its rich heritage of photographs, objects and stories, creating an accessible digital collection that celebrates generations of lifesaving volunteers while safeguarding an important record of Welsh healthcare, community service and resilience.
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Claiming from the Match Funding Pot?
While we wish it were possible to award every application (each one highlighting collections that are both deserving of preservation and wider public access) our funding can only stretch so far.
To help more applicants take their projects forward, we’re delighted to reintroduce last year’s popular Match Funding Pot, open to all who applied - officially opening on 6th August, closing on 18th September 2026.
For every eligible application received, TWA has contributed £500 to the pot. Any applicant who did not secure one of the ten main grants can claim up to £1,000 in matched funding to support their project.
Demand is always high, and once the pot is empty, it’s gone, so if you’re ready to move ahead and have some funds in place, we recommend claiming as soon as possible.
Stay tuned for tomorrow's email with the request link!
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