Southampton City Art Gallery has successfully secured a £26,000 National Lottery project grant to digitise a major part of the art collection.

The work will be carried out in partnership with Southampton Solent University.

Two paid student interns from the university’s Department of Art and Music will be recruited to work on the project, providing hands-on experience and involving them in making the collections more accessible online.

The programme will start in early 2025 and completion is planned by early 2026, aligning with a refurbishment of the gallery, which is now underway.

Councillor Fielker, leader of Southampton City Council, said: “We’re thrilled to have been awarded this grant from Arts Council England, on top of the £2.23m investment supporting the refurbishment of the Art Gallery from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport’s Museum Estate and Development Fund.

“Culture is fundamental to shaping our vision of this wonderful city, and we need to keep investing in our nationally important cultural assets to increase public access.”

Southampton Solent University’s vice-chancellor, Professor James Knowles, said: “Art has a profound impact on communities, and projects like this one are essential in ensuring everyone has access to public art. I am therefore delighted that Solent is partnering with Southampton City Art Gallery to bring art to our communities and give our students meaningful work experience which reinforces their connection to the city and its history.”