'Piecemeal' funding for science centres 'unusual and unfair'

THE boss at one of Newcastle's leading attractions has urged the Government to “level the playing field” and offer a vital funding boost.

- SAM VOLPE Health reporter sam.volpe@reachplecom

Linda Conlon, longstanding chief executive at the Centre for Life, spoke to The Journal about a new campaign pushing for politicians to intervene and support science centres which face “rising costs and falling income”

‘The issue is one taken up by the Association of Science and Discovery Centres (ASDC), which represents venues including the Centre for Life.

Other facilities which are part of the ASDC include Kielder Observatory and the Eden Project in Cornwall.

Due to the way funding pots are allocated - and because these centres aren’t traditional museums with, for example, the historic collections that somewhere like the Science Museum in London has - there is no publicly-administered funding pot they can apply to.

Linda explained that, at a time when science and technology was driving social change like never before - think artificial intelligence, genomic medicine, and automation to name but three areas - it is all the more important to ensure that places like the Centre for Life can continue work educating the next generation of scientists.

Speaking at the end of a busy year of 25th birthday celebrations, Linda, who was made an MBE back in 2016 in recognition for her work in science education, said that while the Centre for Life had opened to great fanfare, as had other venues around the country which were usually in places away from London, there had been a misconception about their funding streams.