Government publishes national vision for archives in England

21 Apr 2026 01:00 PM

The government has published ‘Archives at the Heart of Society’, a new national vision for archives in England.

Two students looking at an image in a room

Bromsgrove School Archives (photography: Richard Stonehouse)

Facilitated by The National Archives in our role as sector lead, the vision sets out a shared long‑term framework to ensure archives are used and valued by everyone, now and for generations to come.

It is shaped around three core themes that will guide archive services, funders and partners across England:

Sustainability – Supporting archives to be financially, environmentally and organisationally resilient, enabling them to care for collections and services over the long term.
Accessibility – Reducing barriers to access so that archives are easy to discover and use online and in person, enabling more people to engage with collections wherever they are.
Inclusivity – Ensuring archives better reflect the diversity of lived experience in England, and actively engaging communities that have historically been under‑represented in collections and practice.

Saul Nassé, Chief Executive of The National Archives, yesterday said:

“Archives hold an essential role at the heart of our society – preserving our collective memory. As the Government lead for the archives sector in England, we are committed to bringing this new vision to life.”

As sector lead, The National Archives will support delivery of Archives at the Heart of Society through a series of new programmes designed to help embed the vision’s themes across the sector. Firstly, a new National Touring and Supported Regional Loan programme will help bring nationally important collections to communities across England. Alongside this, a multi-year leadership programme with the Archives and Records Association will strengthen skills and advocacy across the archive workforce. A Belonging and Placemaking programme will also provide grants and create an inclusive Archival Practice network to deepen community engagement nationwide.

Read the full vision here: The Government’s vision for archives in England – Archives sector