The decision to move a world-famous photography collection in Bradford to the Victoria and Albert Museum in London has been condemned as “an appalling act of cultural vandalism”.

The move will see 400,000 objects from the Royal Photographic Society collection at Bradford’s National Media Museum transferred to London to create an “international photography resource centre”.

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The decision, lauded by both museums, has angered local politicians and art enthusiasts who described it as a paring down of Bradford’s resources “by stealth” and a step towards closing the National Media Museum.

Why must a Bradford museum lose its treasures to London? | Sam Jordison Read more

Simon Cooke, the leader of the Conservatives on Bradford council, described the move as an “act of cultural rape on my city” and called for the deal to be reviewed.

He said: “I know London is a big, grand and fantastic city but to denude my city of these photographs reminds us that you – all the V&A’s trustees are based in London, many will never have visited Bradford – care not one jot for our heritage and history.

“I know you are incredibly excited by all this but, trust me, you could – had you had the guts and vision – have based this new resource centre in the north, in Bradford, where they would have been loved and cherished in a way you in London can never understand. We don’t have much up here and it fills me with a kind of sad rage that you felt able to visit this act of cultural rape on my city.

“I don’t expect anything to happen. You’ll make some sort of gesture, will utter a few banal platitudes and punch the air because the collection is where you and your pals can pop round, can show off to visiting dignitaries. A plague on you and your metropolitan cultural fascism.”

Facebook Twitter Pinterest The move has reignited fears over the long-term future of the National Media Museum, which sailed close to closure in 2013. Photograph: Alamy

The collection, dating from 1827 to 2016, has been based in Bradford’s National Media Museum since 2003.

Among the treasures moving to the V&A are works by the British photography pioneers William Henry Fox Talbot, who invented the negative/positive process for producing photographs, and Julia Margaret Cameron, known for her pre-Raphaelite-inspired portrait photography.



In a statement announcing the move, the Royal Photographic Society said it had serious reservations about moving the collection from a single national museum dedicated to the history of photography.

It said that while the move would prove beneficial in “opening up access to the RPS collection” the society “is concerned that the absence of a single institution with the curatorial expertise to collect and interpret all aspects of photography beyond its art will lead to a selective and narrow appreciation of photography that existed before the formation of the National Media Museum in 1983 when the V&A and Science Museum worked independently”.

Michael Pritchard, the director general of the Royal Photographic Society, said the move was disappointing but that there were serious practical considerations behind it. He said it would increase the collection’s accessibility “in both a geographical sense and through the resources that the V&A is able to bring ensure public and research access”.



Pritchard added: “The media museum has suffered declining staff and funding cuts over recent years which has impacted on public access to the collection, despite the very best efforts of the curatorial staff.”

Imran Hussain, the Labour MP for Bradford East, said the move smacked of “absolute metropolitanism” and that he would be writing to the culture minister to demand an explanation.

“It’s a real blow to Bradford,” he said. “We have just spent the last few years progressing in the right direction and now this. It’s going to have a major impact ... culturally and on education, because there’s children who will not get to see this collection.”

The decision is “in direct contravention” to the government’s northern powerhouse rhetoric, he said, and had been made without the consultation of local MPs. “What are the reasons? Is it because it’s easier for various people to visit it in London? Is Bradford not good enough? It will mean that many people will not now come to Bradford.”

The move has reignited fears over the long-term future of the National Media Museum, which sailed perilously close to closure in 2013.

Judith Cummins, the Bradford South MP, said: “It was just over three months ago that I received assurances from the government about keeping the museum here in Bradford and, importantly, keeping the entry free.

“Visitor numbers have been rising, so to learn an important collection – which is 10% of the collection as a whole – is to be shipped off to London starts alarm bells ringing.”

Colin Ford, the first director of the museum, added: “This looks as if it may be a step towards closing the museum. This doesn’t fit in any way with the government’s avowed intention to create a ‘northern powerhouse’. Quite the opposite. What we’ve found is that metropolitanism is triumphing again.”

Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, the portfolio holder for culture on Bradford council, said she “profoundly regrets” the loss of the collection.

But, she said, the government must bear responsibility for the cuts in funding to the National Media Museum. “Let’s not forget that the National Media Museum was under threat of closure not so long ago and while the council has provided financial support, the only support they’ve had from government has been a loan for the new Imax projector,” she said.

“We have a strong history of photography in the city and if there’s investment going into the V&A in London then why don’t we see the same investment opportunity in Bradford?

“It’s yet another example of the government not supporting investment in Bradford and shows up their much-vaunted northern powerhouse for what it is – empty rhetoric.”



A spokesman for the National Media Museum said: “We are not closing. Quite the contrary. We have ambitious plans for the future and strong support both within the Science Museum Group and among key local stakeholders such as the council.”



In 2013, the National Media Museum was said to contribute more than £24m a year to the Bradford economy in purchases made by museum visitors in local cafes and shops across the city. It provides about 100 jobs that add an extra £3.7m to the city’s economy.

Jo Quinton-Tulloch, director of the National Media Museum, said the move would sharpen the museum’s focus on science and technology and add value to Bradford. The museum’s new focus is to be heralded by a new £1.5m interactive light and sound gallery, due to open in March 2017.

The culture secretary, John Whittingdale, warned on Monday of a “danger” of too much arts funding being focused on the capital.

“I do think there is a danger that too much is spent in London and obviously what we want to do is demonstrate that the UK has fantastic cultural offerings right across the country and not just in London,” he said.

Whittingdale said culture and tourism had a “very significant” part to play in the government’s economic vision for the north of England.

The Yorkshire Post has previously revealed the huge geographic differences in funding from Arts Council England. Last year, Yorkshire received £11.46 per person compared to £33.77 in the capital.

