Arts Minister announces plans for 'more strategic' sharing of museum objects 11 May 2018

Arts and Heritage Minister Michael Ellis will publish plans later this year for more strategic sharing of artworks and objects across the country. In an interview with HuffPost he discussed the development of a new Partnerships Framework which was recommended in the Mendoza Review of English museums, aiming to 'extend [the nationals'] reach throughout England in a more strategic way' and covering areas including collections management, learning and working with audiences. He said "I will work with our national museums on this and look forward to hearing from them how best to take this on. We also need to remember that loans are dependent on the venues' ability to accommodate items - this can be down to the size of objects and space available, environment and conservation conditions, as well as the venue's own collection. It is worth noting that our local and regional museums have some amazing items in their collections that they lend to national museums too." He also discussed lending beyond museum spaces - including the tour of Dippy the Diplodocus from the Natural History Museum which will appear in a cathedral and a town hall, and long term lending by the National Portrait Gallery to the National Trust. NMDC is now working with DCMS and ACE on plans for the Framework which is due to be published in September 2018. Huffpost, DCMS (Mendoza Review), Museums Journal