University of Leicester secures funding to preserve the Midlands’ at-risk sound archives
The University of Leicester has been awarded £282,082 by The National Lottery Heritage Fund to preserve at-risk sound archives across the Midlands.
The development funding, made possible thanks to National Lottery players, will enable the University Library to work in partnership with Birmingham Archives and Collections, Shropshire Archives, Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Archive Service and Worcestershire Archive and Archaeology Service to digitally preserve sound recordings that are at risk of permanent loss.
Digital Decarbonisation experts at Loughborough University will minimise the carbon footprint of processing and storing data generated by the project.
The initial funding will support a 12-month development phase, allowing Sounds of the Midlands to progress with its plans. Following this and the submission of a detailed proposal, a final decision is made on a further funding award of £1,668,000 by the Heritage Fund.
Research by the University of Leicester’s Institute for Digital Culture completed in 2025 revealed that there are as many as 18,000 reel-to-reel and cassette tapes held by the region’s libraries, archives and museums. These tapes are physically deteriorating, and the technology to play them is becoming increasingly scarce. Heritage experts agree that without urgent intervention many sound collections will become unplayable in the coming years.
The collections include local radio archives, oral history interviews, and music recordings. The recordings frequently capture the memories and experiences of people and communities who are underrepresented in the archival record. They include memories of local industries, rural life, the natural world, and the experiences of people and communities who have made the Midlands their home.
During the next year, an initial 1,200 recordings will be digitised and preserved. A range of events and learning activities will take place across the region, designed to showcase this important heritage.
Simon Dixon, Associate Director Community & Heritage at the University of Leicester, said: “Through the East Midlands Oral History Archive, the University of Leicester has been preserving sound archives for a quarter of a century.
“Building on recent projects, Unlocking Our Sound Heritage and Sounds for the Future, this funding has the potential to secure a major part of the sound heritage of the Midlands for future generations.
“This work also reflects the University’s 2121: Founders of the Future campaign, supporting long-term cultural impact and access to heritage for communities.
“Thank you to National Lottery players for making this work possible.”
Sounds of the Midlands will develop sector-leading best practice for minimising the environmental impact of heritage digitisation projects, as Professor Tom Jackson and Professor Ian Hodgkinson, Loughborough University, explained:
"The Midlands holds a rich and diverse sound heritage that deserves to be preserved and shared with future generations. We are proud to support this pioneering project and help ensure that these invaluable recordings are not lost.
“As collections are digitised at scale, it is increasingly important to consider the environmental impact of the data we create and store.
“Through our Digital Decarbonisation expertise, we will work with partners to maximise the value of these digital archives while minimising unnecessary carbon emissions, helping to create a model for sustainable heritage preservation that could be adopted across the UK and beyond.”
The development funding, made possible thanks to National Lottery players, will enable the University Library to work in partnership with Birmingham Archives and Collections, Shropshire Archives, Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Archive Service and Worcestershire Archive and Archaeology Service to digitally preserve sound recordings that are at risk of permanent loss.
Digital Decarbonisation experts at Loughborough University will minimise the carbon footprint of processing and storing data generated by the project.
The initial funding will support a 12-month development phase, allowing Sounds of the Midlands to progress with its plans. Following this and the submission of a detailed proposal, a final decision is made on a further funding award of £1,668,000 by the Heritage Fund.
Research by the University of Leicester’s Institute for Digital Culture completed in 2025 revealed that there are as many as 18,000 reel-to-reel and cassette tapes held by the region’s libraries, archives and museums. These tapes are physically deteriorating, and the technology to play them is becoming increasingly scarce. Heritage experts agree that without urgent intervention many sound collections will become unplayable in the coming years.
The collections include local radio archives, oral history interviews, and music recordings. The recordings frequently capture the memories and experiences of people and communities who are underrepresented in the archival record. They include memories of local industries, rural life, the natural world, and the experiences of people and communities who have made the Midlands their home.
During the next year, an initial 1,200 recordings will be digitised and preserved. A range of events and learning activities will take place across the region, designed to showcase this important heritage.
Simon Dixon, Associate Director Community & Heritage at the University of Leicester, said: “Through the East Midlands Oral History Archive, the University of Leicester has been preserving sound archives for a quarter of a century.
“Building on recent projects, Unlocking Our Sound Heritage and Sounds for the Future, this funding has the potential to secure a major part of the sound heritage of the Midlands for future generations.
“This work also reflects the University’s 2121: Founders of the Future campaign, supporting long-term cultural impact and access to heritage for communities.
“Thank you to National Lottery players for making this work possible.”
Sounds of the Midlands will develop sector-leading best practice for minimising the environmental impact of heritage digitisation projects, as Professor Tom Jackson and Professor Ian Hodgkinson, Loughborough University, explained:
"The Midlands holds a rich and diverse sound heritage that deserves to be preserved and shared with future generations. We are proud to support this pioneering project and help ensure that these invaluable recordings are not lost.
“As collections are digitised at scale, it is increasingly important to consider the environmental impact of the data we create and store.
“Through our Digital Decarbonisation expertise, we will work with partners to maximise the value of these digital archives while minimising unnecessary carbon emissions, helping to create a model for sustainable heritage preservation that could be adopted across the UK and beyond.”