The Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) is marking 50 years of social impact through conservation and adaptation supporting communities across the UK to rescue, reuse and reimagine historic buildings
The AHF writes:
- 2026 will mark the 50th anniversary of the Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF
- The organisation is celebrating half a century of supporting communities across the UK to rescue, reuse and reimagine historic buildings
- A touring exhibition of the AHF’s work will take place across four UK cities: Belfast, Glasgow, Cardiff & London
Throughout 2026, AHF will deliver a national programme of activity highlighting the vital role that heritage plays in shaping places and strengthening communities. The anniversary year includes an exhibition that will travel across the UK, a flagship conference in London, and the unveiling of a refreshed visual identity and website, signalling the AHF’s ambition for the decades ahead.
Since its foundation in 1976, the AHF has supported 2,432 projects in the UK, as well as 3,079 grants. The combined total of financial support awarded to projects in towns, cities and the countryside currently sits at £182,060,862. The anniversary programme will shine a light on AHF-supported projects in every nation and region of the UK, culminating in a celebration of a top 50 projects that demonstrate the enduring power of heritage-led regeneration.
‘Heritage is there to be used, not just admired,’ said Fiona Ruth Twycross, Baroness Twycross, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Museums, Heritage and Gambling at the AHF50 launch event on 13 January. ‘The Architectural Heritage Fund champions the impact of heritage and community led-regeneration, and is often the first point of contact for community groups seeking to rescue local historic sites and buildings. The AHF is there through every step of the way, providing advice, loans and grants to local communities to help create new futures for these historic buildings’
A 50th Anniversary Conference, to be held in London in Summer 2026, will bring together leaders from heritage, design and development, policy and community sectors to discuss the opportunities in the next 50 years for heritage-led regeneration. A new visual identity and website by Studio.Build – the culmination of a rebranding process taking place in late 2025 – will accompany the anniversary, underscoring AHF’s role as an impactful forward-thinking funder and advocate for the UK’s historic environment.
Matthew Mckeague, Chief Executive of the Architectural Heritage Fund [said] ‘For fifty years, the AHF has worked with communities to give new life to historic buildings and to ensure that heritage remains at the heart of regeneration. Our anniversary year will celebrate those achievements while looking ahead to the future, exploring how heritage can continue to drive social value, creativity and local pride across the UK.’
