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Government and the future of funding |
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| Richard Evans, Director of the Beamish Museum takes possession of a cinema in Ryhope, Sunderland which will become part of the museum's 1950's town. Full story in members' news. |
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George Osborne asks non-protected departments to outline cuts up to 40% |
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The Chancellor George Osborne has asked all non-ringfenced government departments to model cuts of between 25 – 40%, including DCMS, which sponsors 14 national museums and Arts Council England. Arts Council England has revised the timetable for applications to their Museums Resilience Fund until the outcome of the spending review is known in November. Arts Council England Chief Executive, Darren Henley, said, “we know the Chancellor wants to make savings but he also wants to invest in growth. Our sector will deliver against government objectives such as economic growth outside London. It will also give the nation great art and culture. And it will do so efficiently and for less than 0.1% of government spending. We'll be making the best possible case for investment between now and the autumn.” Arts commentator Simon Tait has speculated again about whether this may mean the end of the DCMS, and how its work might be distributed. Meanwhile a report by London Councils anticipates a shortfall of £2.4bn in local authority funding by 2020 and explores how local councils can sustain the arts using their position as landlords, planning authorities and strategic brokers. Heritage Alliance, Taitmail, Museums Journal, Arts Professional
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Westminster Hall debate on regional support for the arts |
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MPs took part in a debate at Westminster Hall on regional support for the arts, led by Robert Jenrick.
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Jenrick (Conservative) said that beyond London and the major regional cities, access to cultural activity may be more difficult: “My constituents in rural Nottinghamshire have incomparably more modest access, and usually for a charge. My children and I can enjoy trips to the Science Museum or other wonderful family-friendly institutions when in London, but when we are home in Newark - a town with significant deprivation and an average income of £19,500 per annum - we pay £20 to visit our superb new National Civil War Centre, £30 to see the Magna Carta at Lincoln and £40 for a visit to Belvoir Castle, our nearest major stately home. Those figures are for family visits.”
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He highlighted Arts Council England’s recent budget rebalancing, and regional work by major institutions like the British Museum, but said these interventions were ‘comparatively modest’ compared to the size of the problem. Meanwhile, local authorities are tempted to cut support because of budget squeezes. Jenrick said that this led the ‘best and brightest’ younger workers to leave for major cities and the South East, never to return.
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John Nicolson (SNP) spoke about the contrasting state of arts funding in Scotland. He said the Scottish government’s draft budget allocated £150m more to the arts in 2015/16. Scottish local authorities put 5.3% into culture, compared to a 2.3% average for English local authorities. He ended by saying “for philosophical and cultural reasons, and for practical reasons in terms of generating jobs and money, we intend to carry on investing in the arts.”
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Susan Elan Jones (Labour) said that 82-90% of philanthropy occurs in London and that schemes like Catalyst had not shifted this balance. She felt that DCMS funding to national institutions inevitably goes to London, and Arts Council England changes are shifting funding by only a few percentage points, leaving local authorities, facing substantial cuts, carrying the full burden. She said that “cultural baubles that get thrown into the autumn statements” did not address the problem.
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Culture Secretary Ed Vaizey disputed the assertion, made throughout the debate, that because the headquarters of an arts group or museum is in London, it can be inferred that most of its spend is there. He pointed to the three Tate galleries outside London and V&A Dundee. He added that he did not want to ‘belittle’ the debate about whether too much Arts Council money was spent in London, but rather wanted to ‘rebalance’ it. He said: “approximately half the arts organisations based in London—that is, those with a London postcode—that get Arts Council grants work, tour and exhibit outside London. The most recent example that comes to my mind, because I met them in Ipswich, is the Talawa theatre company, a black theatre company that does fantastic work. Its headquarters is in London, but it tours. We need to get away from the idea that because an organisation has a London postcode, all its work will be in London.” He added that the Government will be publishing a White Paper on arts and heritage shortly, and that it would be valuable to explore whether artforms would achieve more thinking outside silos, and if museum storage could be opened to the public.
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The debate was preceded by a chance for the public to make points through Twitter. Take up was low for this innovation, but Robert Jenrick MP raised issues during the debate which had been mentioned in the Twitter discussion. Parliament.uk, Arts Professional
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ACE makes an economic case for the arts |
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Arts Council England has published a new report Contribution of the arts and culture sector to the national economy. It is the second written by the Centre for Economic and Business Research (Cebr) and continues to evolve the points made in their initial publication. As with the first report, museums, libraries and creative industries are not included.
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- The first report, based on 2011 figures, showed a turnover of £12.4bn attributed to the arts. The new report shows an increase of a quarter to £15.1bn based on 2013 figures.
- Gross Value Added has increased by 35.8% to £7.7bn between 2010 – 13.
- Employment has risen from 123,000 to 128,000 between 2010 – 13.
- NPOs return £2.35bn to the Treasury in tax – or £5 for every £1 invested in their work.
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The report also pointed to outcomes which help generate productivity over a wider sector including encouraging tourism, helping lateral and innovative thinking, improving national productivity and catalysing economic regeneration. ACE
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Business leaders says public investment in the arts is crucial |
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ACE has collaborated on a publication with the Creative Industries Federation How public investment in arts contributes to the growth of the creative industries. The report points out that, at 0.3%, UK public investment in the arts is low compared with other European countries: Germany invests 0.4%, the EU as a whole 0.5%, Denmark 0.7% and France 0.8%. Central to the report are many successful figures from the Creative Industries describing how vital government support is to the success of their businesses, and the UK’s primacy in many culturally-related professions.
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Melanie Clore, Chair of Sotherby’s Europe said, “the success of the UK’s commercial art scene is intrinsically linked to the strength of its public institutions. Three of the five most visited art museums in the world are in London - the Tate, the British Museum and the National Gallery - and we are able to thrive, attracting buyers from across the globe, precisely because we form part of one of the world’s great cultural hubs. Public investment has been crucial in providing the training and institutional support necessary to propel artists from the UK to the forefront of the global art market, with over a third of our record-breaking July 2015 contemporary art sales comprised of work by British artists.” Boris Johnson and Baroness Lane-Fox are also among the contributors. ACE (CIF report headlines), Creative Industries Federation (full report), Guardian
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Museums – protecting the nation’s heritage |
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As the I Love Museums campaign continues, NMDC’s Katie Childs wrote for Adjacent Government outlining some of the benefits of museums, as well as statistics about their reach and importance – from powering tourism, the UK’s fifth largest industry, to extending the UK’s international influence, and reaching more than half the adults in the UK each year. The I Love Museums campaign taps into the ‘huge public affection’ for museums. Large and small museums and galleries are encouraged to take part here: I Love Museums. Adjacent Government, NMDC
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NMDC statement on the protection of cultural heritage in armed conflict |
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NMDC has issued a statement welcoming moves by the government to ratify the 1954 Hague Convention on the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. It also welcomes the announcement of a summit to explore what can be done to protect the cultural heritage of Syria and Iraq. NMDC
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World Heritage Committee adds sites to danger list |
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At its annual meeting, UNESCO's World Heritage Committee added several sites to its ‘at risk’ list, including the ancient city of Hatra in Iraq and two sites in Yemen - the Old City of Sana’a and the Old Walled City of Shibam. It is using satellite imagery and geo-spatial technology to monitor sites endangered by war and natural disasters. The Art Newspaper
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Greek museums on the brink |
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As financial turmoil continues in Greece, The Art Newspaper reported in early July that many museums are on the brink of viability, and some institutions may merge because of the lack of public funds. The Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art in Thessaloniki has seen its funds fall from €500k in 2006 to €180k now. It is currently closed to avoid bankrupting the institution. The Art Newspaper
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Re:Imagine India funding recipients announced |
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Re:Imagine India is a joint project between Arts Council England and the British Council to encourage collaboration between UK and Indian cultural organisations. The first round of grants have been awarded with 22 organisations sharing £500k for collaborative work and eight sharing £1.7m for international showcasing, including the Liverpool Biennial of Contemporary Art. Projects will peak in 2017 to mark the 70th anniversary of Indian independence. ACE
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| Curators Joanna Norman (V&A) and Alison Brown (Glasgow Museums) with a scale model of the Oak Room. The huge former tearoom will become part of V&A Dundee when it opens in 2018. |
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‘Sleeping giant’ Mackintosh interior to be resurrected at V&A Dundee |
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For the last 44 years a double height tea room designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh has been lying dismantled in the vaults of Glasgow Council, nicknamed the ‘Sleeping Giant’. Last open as Miss Cranston’s Ingram Street Tearooms in the 1950s, the parts were given to the Council when the building was redeveloped in 1971. Now the whole tearoom will be redisplayed as part of V&A Dundee when it opens in 2018, as part of a collaboration with Glasgow Museums. In the meantime, there will be a complex restoration process funded by HLF. V&A senior curator Joanna Norman said, “this major conservation project preserves and presents an outstanding piece of Scottish design heritage for a broad public audience. It is extremely exciting that it will be unveiled at the opening of V&A Dundee in 2018, the 150th anniversary of Mackintosh’s birth. The Oak Room will be the only historic interior on display in our galleries and its reassembly will allow visitors to immerse themselves fully in the brilliance of Mackintosh’s spatial and decorative design.” V&A Dundee
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Beamish acquires Sunderland cinema |
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Beamish has acquired a cinema from Ryhope, Sunderland for its planned 1950s town. The cinema opened in 1912 and closed in the 1960s. It will now be carefully dismantled and moved to the Beamish site. Beamish is also collecting local memories of the cinema. Images in this newsletter show former owners Angela and Gary Hepple handing over the cinema to Beamish staff. Beamish
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British Library becomes Grade I Listed building |
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The British Library building has gained Grade I listed status because of its ‘outstanding architectural and historical interest.’ The building opened to mixed reviews in 1998, but was praised by Roger Bowdler, Historic England’s Director of Listings, describing it as ‘one of England’s finest modern buildings’. British Library Chief Executive, Roly Keating, said, "even in the relatively short period since its opening, it has worked its way into the affections of millions of visitors and researchers, who have discovered its beautiful spaces, subtle use of natural light and exquisite detailing. As well as celebrating architectural excellence, this listing is a reminder, in the midst of the digital age, of the vital importance of libraries as physical spaces of the highest quality at the heart of their communities." BBC, DCMS, Guardian
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National Museum Wales and Cardiff University share research work |
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Cardiff University and National Museum Wales have signed a memorandum of understanding, agreeing to work more closely together on research, sharing projects, exchanges, staff training and postgraduate study. The two institutions have worked together in the past on one off projects such as the discovery of the Cardiff Ghost Slug, a creature previously unknown to science, and the excavation of an early medieval crannog (artificial island) in Llan-gors Lake near Brecon. National Museum Wales
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Supporters acquire Turner painting for the Ashmolean in just four weeks |
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Last month we reported that the Ashmolean was seeking funds to acquire Turner’s painting ‘Oxford High Street’, which has been on loan to the museum since 1997. Now 800 individual supporters of the museum have raised £60k in just four weeks. Alongside HLF’s £550k, The Art Fund’s £220k and £30k from the Friends of the Ashmolean, this has secured the painting. Ashmolean Director Dr Alexander Sturgis said, “it is clear that the local community, as well as visitors to the museum from across the world, feel that this picture, the greatest painting of the city ever made, must remain on show in a public museum in Oxford.” The museum is now planning a local tour and a schools programme around the painting. Oxford Aspire, Art Wolf
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HLF awards £2.1m for modern extension to Hatton Gallery |
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A £2.1m award from the HLF has allowed a £3.5m development plan to go ahead at the Hatton Gallery in Newcastle. The work will conserve the Edwardian building, while also creating a new modern gallery and learning space. Professor Richard Davies of Newcastle University, which is a partner in the project said “this is fantastic news for the Hatton Gallery and will help increase participation in learning, training and volunteering, enabling more people of all ages and backgrounds to enjoy and engage with art.” HLF
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Museums Galleries Scotland launch intangible cultural heritage website |
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Museums Galleries Scotland (MGS) has launched a new website to capture intangible cultural heritage across the country. The site defines intangible cultural heritage as “a living form of heritage which is continuously recreated and which evolves as communities adapt their practices and traditions in response to their environment”. Subjects include beliefs, crafts, customs and rituals, food, festivals, nature and the universe and games. MGS is encouraging communities involved in these areas and museum professionals to sign up as contributors to the site. MGS, ICH Scotland
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Changes to admission prices at York Art Gallery prompts debate about the viability of free admission |
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As cuts continue, the prospect of charging for entry to museums continues to be aired. Museums Association President David Fleming told the BBC "I'm absolutely certain that museums all over the country are considering introducing admissions fees in order to try to help plug the gaps that are appearing in their budgets". He said that this would work only in places with a significant number of tourists. York Art Gallery reopened on 1st August, and simultaneously reintroduced charging. Charges will also apply to local residents (although at a reduced rate with a York Card). York Museums Trust Director Janet Barnes said that other income streams such as philanthropy, events, the shop and café provided ‘piddling amounts’ compared with charging for entry. The Council grant to YMT has declined by 60% since 2012/13.
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The debate continued in the Guardian and Evening Standard with opinion pieces by Jonathan Jones, Richard Stemp and Simon Jenkins, and hundreds of online comments by Guardian readers. Letters to the Guardian in response to Jonathan Jones' article included one from the then Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Chris Smith, who pioneered the policy. BBC, Guardian: Jonathan Jones, Guardian: Richard Stemp, Museums Journal, Letters: Guardian, Evening Standard
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Snibston Discovery Museum closes |
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Snibston Discovery Museum closed on the 31st July, after campaigners failed to seek a judicial review of Leicestershire County Council's decision to close the museum. The Council will now create a smaller museum on the site’s adjoining colliery, saving £580k of the £900k annual running costs. The Council cited ‘deepening financial pressure’ as the reason for the decision, although they had turned down proposals from the Friends of Snibston to run the museum as an independent trust. Museums Journal, BBC, Loughborough Echo (virtual tour)
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Reorganisation follows cuts at the Portable Antiquities Scheme |
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The British Museum’s Portable Antiquities Scheme has received a 6% cut and will be relocated to its learning department. The museum said “Funding for PAS was reduced in line with the overall reduction to grant-in-aid to the British Museum for this financial year. In recent years, the museum’s grant-in-aid has declined by 30%.” It added that efficiencies and new income generation had ‘minimised the impact’ on the scheme. Longstanding head of PAS Roger Bland, has resigned expressing concern that the scheme “will be under great pressure after the November spending review”. Museums Journal, Portable Antiquities Scheme
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Debate over declining visitor numbers to Portsmouth museums |
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A report from Portsmouth Council shows that visits to museums across Portsmouth have declined by 3% in the last year, with a 20% decrease in visits to Southsea Castle and Portsmouth Museum. Union spokesman Richard White expressed concerns that ‘managed decline’ would lead to museum closures. Liberal Democrat culture spokesman Lee Hunt said that the city needs a strategy which brings together the city centre museums with independent museums, like the hugely successful Mary Rose Trust, and National Museums of the Royal Navy. Portsmouth.co.uk
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Over Sea, Under Stone: reasons to be cheerful |
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| Exterior of the former cinema at Ryhope, Sunderland with Beamish staff and former owners. The cinema will be removed and redisplayed at Beamish. |
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Concorde in Gloucestershire |
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South Gloucestershire Council has given planning permission for a new £16m Concorde Museum in Filton. The Museum will feature the aeroplane itself, alongside a learning centre. Council Leader Matthew Riddle said, "once up and running, the museum is set to become one of the most popular visitors' attractions in the West, bringing many economic benefits to the region while celebrating the history of the aerospace industry past, present and future." BBC
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Google Earth looks beneath Stonehenge |
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English Heritage has been working with Google Earth to allow the public to ‘see under Stonehenge’ and view landscapes at and near the ancient site as they were millennia ago, including the Neolithic village of Durrington Walls. The platform is free to download within Google Earth for anyone virtually passing on Salisbury Plain. The project is also on Twitter at @UnderStonehenge. International Archaeology
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HLF supports Warwick museum to display more collections |
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Market Hall Museum in Warwick will be transformed into a ‘gateway’ institution for history collections in Warwickshire, following a grant of £965.5k from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The Market Hall has been a museum for over 170 years, but currently only a quarter of the county’s collections are on display. The Council hopes that the redevelopment will create a flagship site, similar in status to the Herbert Art Gallery in Coventry. BBC
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New Brunel museum to sit beside SS Great Britain |
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The HLF has announced a grant of £4.78m towards a new ‘Being Brunel’ museum in Bristol to sit beside the SS Great Britain, the steam ship designed by the Victorian engineer. The award means that 90% of the funding is now in place for the £7m project. The new museum promises galleries and interactive experiences set in reconstructed buildings that reflect the original look of the Victorian waterfront. Last year, collector Clive Richards donated 700 items to the museum, including Brunel’s school reports, a personalised penknife and last cigar. Being Brunel will open in Easter 2017. HLF, Museums Journal (includes short film of plans), Museums + Heritage
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Fifteen year plan for flowering of culture in the North East |
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A coalition of organisations from the across the North East has created an ambitious plan to transform the impact of culture in the area. The North East Cultural Partnership consists of 12 local authorities, five universities, private businesses and organisations dedicated to the arts, heritage, tourism and sport. Over 15 years, they aim to reach a further 500,000 per year with culture, attract creative talent to build a more skilled workforce, attract more visitors growing the 70,000 strong workforce in the sector and enhance local quality of life. Arts Council England Chief Executive, Darren Henley, praised the plan as a ‘very powerful’ statement ahead of the government’s autumn spending review, adding “it is ambitious but the time scale makes it realistic. It’s a 15-year plan. Where local authorities are making efforts to invest in these things, we’ll stand by them.” ITV, Chronicle
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Southampton museums revisit trust model |
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Museums in Southampton may move to a trust model. The city’s three museums nearly became part of Hampshire Cultural Trust in 2013, but the plan was judged unworkable. Now the idea is back on the table at an ‘early exploratory stage’. Local Conservative councillor John Hannides said that the museums were ‘heavily subsidised’ by the Council, adding “unless we do something more than we are doing now I’m afraid we will be overseeing their demise”. Museums Journal
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Rescued saints return to Devon church |
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In August 2013 two images of St Margaret of Antioch and St Victor of Marseilles were torn from a rood screen panel in St Torbryan’s, Devon and stolen. The medieval images are both rare survivals of the Reformation, and therefore of great significance. A campaign publicised the theft, and in May this year police recovered both images, after a tip off from a collector who had seen them on an online auction site. HLF has now awarded £47k for a project to tell the story of St Torbryan’s, alongside the restored saints. Nerys Watts for HLF said “we’re delighted to help tell the fascinating story behind the panels which hit the headlines and uncover the wider history of Torbryan” HLF
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Also: A Rodin sculpture, stolen 20 years ago, has been recovered after an art collector recognised it in Christie's. LA Times
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Are you compliant with the revised Public Sector Information Directive? |
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New Public Sector Information regulations now in force |
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As of 18th July 2015, "public museums" will need to be compliant with the EU Public Sector Information Directive. To help explain what this is, and offer some guidance as to whether a museums may or may not need to be compliant, NMDC has produced a short explanatory note and this is on our website.
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NMDC has also produced a Decision Tree to help museums work out whether or not they are considered a "public museum". This for guidance and if anyone who is unsure should check with The National Archives.
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Although many public bodies have had to be compliant with the EU Public Sector Directive since 2003, one of the revisions agreed in 2014 was to extend the Directive to include "public museums, archives and libraries (including university libraries). All museums subject to the Directive will need to agree a Statement of Public Task. The National Archives, who have been responsible for the implementation of the changes, has produced detailed guidance about how to draw up this statement as part of a suite of resources about Public Sector Information. This includes a very helpful glossary of terms.
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Arts Council opens three new funds for art, leadership and tourism development |
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Arts Council England has opened three new funds to support national evolution of the cultural sector.
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- The Creative Local Growth fund is offering grants of between £150k - £500k to Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) based outside London. The grants are intended to attract match funding from Europe, to help evolve tourism and economic growth through the arts and culture. Work must take place within the three years from 1st April 2016 – 31st March 2019. The deadline for applications is 16th October 2015.
- The Developing Sector Leaders fund will support governance and leadership in the sector, with an emphasis on the need for diversity in the sector. The funds are open to leadership and governance development organisations with at least a three year track record of success. The deadline for applications is midday on 27th August.
- The £1.8m National Partners Fund has opened to mark the 70th anniversary of the National Art Collection. The programme will select three museums or galleries to work alongside Yorkshire Sculpture Park and show work from the collection. ACE says “at a time when galleries are under growing pressure to deliver with fewer resources, we wish to use the fund and the Collection to give partners additional capacity to make a step change in their regional and national profile.” Accredited museums and NPOs are invited to apply for grants of between £400k - £600k over three years. The deadline for expressions of interest is midday on 21st August. ACE (Creative Local Growth), ACE (Developing Sector Leaders), ACE (National Partners Collection), Arts Professional
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Also: Arts Council England is piloting a scheme to support innovation between arts and technology, in partnership with Innovate UK. Initial work will take place at Manchester Digital Lab and Markerversity at Somerset House, while Broadway in Nottingham will develop an arts and technology studio. A larger programme may be rolled out in 2016: watch the Arts and Technology Pilot Programme page for further developments. ACE
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Shortlist announced for Contemporary Art Society award |
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The Contemporary Art Society has announced the four shortlisted museums and galleries for its 2015 award. The winner will receive £40k to commission a new artwork for their permanent collections from an artist who is not yet well represented in museum collecting programmes. The shortlisted institutions and artists are: Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (Pablo Helguera), National Museum Wales/Artes Mundi (Ragnar Kjartansson), The Whitworth/LUX (Stephen Sutcliffe and Graham Eatough) and The Stanley & Audrey Burton Gallery/Henry Moore Institute (Katrina Palmer). The winner will be announced on 23rd November. Contemporary Art Society
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New Collecting Awards reopen with an extra £100k |
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The Art Fund has opened the second round of its New Collecting Awards, with an extra £100k of available grants, following the huge success of the pilot year. There will now be £400k available to support a number of curators to purchase new objects for their fine and applied art collections, while simultaneously picking up skills to aid them in their future careers through research, travel and training grants. Art Fund Director, Stephen Deuchar, said, “our first round New Collecting Awardees have already commented on the positive impact their award has had on their professional development, and we look forward to welcoming a second wave of ambitious curators and seeing how their projects develop.” Expressions of interest must be submitted by 4th September. Art Fund
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New HMRC report on Gift Aid and donations by high earners |
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HMRC has published new qualitative research exploring what inspires higher earners to donate, and to understand the role of tax relief in the process. It is based on in depth interviews with 32 people earning over £100k and claiming at least £100 in tax relief as a result of giving. Participants gave to a wide range of charities, and cited several reasons for giving, including requests from friends, the feeling of having done a good deed, identity and belief system, and seeing the positive consequences of a gift. Tax relief was not in itself a primary motive for giving, but encouraged donors to give more than they might otherwise. Interviewees said they found it easy to understand the Gift Aid system. Gov.uk
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Skills development fund opens in Scotland |
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Museums Galleries Scotland has opened its skills development fund, offering from £1k - 10k to museums working in partnerships to offer skills programmes and training courses in Scotland. The fund will remain open until the current tranche of funding has been spent. All projects must be complete by 8th March 2017. MGS
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National Funding Scheme reaches milestone but attracts controversy |
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The National Funding Scheme has announced that its cultural fundraising platform DONATE has raised £250k for clients since it first launched two years ago. 99% of donors also allow their details to be passed on to the charities concerned, allowing them to continue the relationship. However, the online magazine Arts Professional has raised concerns about how the NFS is managed. It says that the initial fundraising targets of £6m in year one and £18m in year two ‘have proved fanciful’. It adds “the majority of the publicly funded and charitable grants that have plugged the gap in the organisation’s trading income have been spent on services supplied by two private companies, both of which have NFS founder William Makower as their primary shareholder.” The Charity Commission says that this is acceptable as it is explicitly drawn up in the articles of the charity. However, it is now reviewing NFS as an ‘operations compliance case’ – only a small number of these enquiries proceed to become statutory enquiries. Arts Council of England remains happy with its £125k support to the beginning of 2016, in the expectation that NFS will then achieve self-sustainability after that. Meanwhile, NFS has extended its platform offer from cultural organisations to all charities. Arts Professional, Charity Digital News, Arts Professional
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| Inside the cinema at Ryhope, Sunderland |
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Future proofing museums: participants in resilience programme announced |
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The Arts Marketing Association has announced the 20 participants in its new Future Proof Museums programme. Funded by Arts Council England, the programme will help museums to be resilient. The programme begins with a diagnostic session for each museum, followed by a three day residential and ongoing mentoring and support. Many different types of museums are involved, from small independents to Major Partner Museums, such as the Horniman, as well as council and university run institutions. The National Football Museum, People’s History Museum, Hampshire Cultural Trust and Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton & Hove, are amongst the participants. Arts Marketing Association, Future Proof Museums
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MA publishes its draft Code of Ethics |
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The Museums Association has published its draft Code of Ethics, following a consultation and series of events to discuss the contents. The document is available online and a second consultation closes on 7th August. The revised Code of Ethics will be put to the Museums Association's AGM during their annual conference in early November. The document is built around three central propositions: public access - museums as accessible organisations to inspire, educate and entertain the public; stewardship – caring for collections and maintaining them for future generations; integrity – building transparent partnerships and good personal conduct. Alistair Brown, the MA’s Policy Officer said “I believe that it is a good balance of the old and new. [It] updates ethical responsibilities in areas where the sector has told us they expected the code to do more – digital issues, loans, research, sponsorship and employment, to name a few.” Museums Journal, Museums Journal (draft document)
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MGS publishes its delivery plan to 2019 |
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MGS has published the second stage of its strategic plan to 2019. It describes work to make the sector more coherent, and help museums across Scotland to work together towards the same aims. Ambitions include maximising the potential of collections, working globally, making museums resources for public wellbeing, creating a diverse workforce as well as encouraging collaboration and innovation. Concrete action towards these aims so far include:
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- An MGS £200k partnerships fund was set up in March. 200 museums are already part of regional networks, with more being set up.
- 167 cultural organisations have participated in funding training
- 802 staff trained so far through Skills Development Fund projects
- Large collabortative events, including GENERATION which celebrated Scottish contemporary art at 42 venues.
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MGS announces Strategic Investment Fund and Recognition Fund projects |
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Thirteen museums and galleries have received support from two MGS funds offering support for digitisation projects, and new staff and consultancy posts for conservation and audience development. Recipients include Fife Folk Museum, which will be able to employ a paid curator for two years, after previously relying entirely on volunteeers. MGS
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Paul Hamlyn Foundation launches resources for engaging with communities |
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The Paul Hamlyn Foundation has brought together material from partners in many of its previous museum programmes to create a web resource on community participation. Short films introduce subjects including governance, engaging with community partners and organisational structure. There are also in-depth reports. The Foundation encourages people to sign up for alerts as more material will be added in coming months. Head of Arts, Regis Cochefert, said, “I am delighted that [cultural organisations] are now sharing their learning with the sector at large so that others can benefit from their experiments, risk-taking, things that didn’t always go to plan, and their successes.” Diversity Heritage, Our museum (the resource)
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AHRC says the creative economy needs better data to explore diversity issues |
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A new report from the Arts and Humanities Research Council argues that ongoing discussions of the vale of culture have to take into account the effects of inequality, especially by race, class and gender.
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However, Cultural Value and Inequality says that credible statistics are drying up as a result of cuts, partly as a consequence of the abolition of the Regional Development Agencies. They argue that the biggest gap in data is around social class. Report co-author Dave O’Brien from Goldsmiths University said there are “important questions about what and who is on our stages, screens, in our magazines and on our walls”. Better data, and more attention to diversity are needed to explore the value of culture more meaningfully, and reduce inequality. AHRC, Arts Professional
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Museums disability access network to launch |
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The Disability Co-operative Network is launching in September to share good practice for increasing access for disabled people to museums. The network is a collaboration between Heritage Culture and Warwickshire (HCW), the RAF Museum in London and the Horniman Museum. Becki Morris, a collections assistant at HCW said, “at the moment there is a lot of information floating around Google and it is very difficult to find out what you want in respect to access and information. The network is about creating a platform to collect all of this information and case studies.” Museums Journal
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HLF funds improving museums for people with sight loss |
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The HLF has awarded £430k to a project bringing together heritage organisations and RNIB to make history more accessible to people with sight loss in SE England. The first participants include Canterbury heritage groups, including Canterbury Museums, Oxford University Museums, Lewes Castle, Brighton & Hove Pavilion & Museums and the Conan Doyle Collection in Portsmouth. Innovations will include technology, audio description and tactile panels. RNIB
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Wales encourages children to clock up 24 museums this summer |
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Major cultural bodies in Wales are collaborating this summer to encourage multiple museum visits with a Children’s Explorer Passport. Encompassing 24 venues across Wales, the 36 page A4 booklet allows families to begin collecting stickers and competitions once they have visited four sites. National Museums Wales, Cadw (the historic environment service), National Trust Wales and the National Library of Wales are providing an offer including museums, castles, historic houses and gardens. Cadw
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£1m competition to improve rail for tourists as visits increase in Scotland and Wales |
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A £1m competition for ideas to transform rail travel for tourists from overseas will be launched. Prime Minister David Cameron said, “tourism supports almost one in 10 jobs in the UK and we want to rebalance the economy to make sure this boost is felt right across the country”.
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The scheme comes alongside the Government’s Five Point Plan to drive more tourism beyond London, including better links between attractions within regions, and new partnerships between transport and tourism bodies. There will also be work to create and retain talent in the sector, improve the welcome at UK borders, and reform regulations.
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New government figures show tourism rising significantly in Scotland and Wales during 2014. In Scotland, international tourists spent £1.8bn during 2.7m visits, a 10% greater spend than in 2013. In Wales, international tourism rose to 933,000 in 2014, a 7% increase accompanied by £368m in spending, a 5% increase. Gov.uk (Scotland), Gov.uk (Wales) Gov.uk (tourism plan) ONS (tourism quarterly release)
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Keeping Britain in the red: new postbox preservation plan |
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Historic England and Royal Mail have announced that they will work together to preserve the UK’s post boxes. There are around 115,300 pillar, wall and lamp boxes across the country and there is a post box within half a mile of over 98% of the UK population. However, around 100 are stolen each year, either for their metal value, the contents, or as a saleable piece of heritage. Royal Mail are now working on an electronic tagging system to deter the thieves. Chief Executive of Historic England, Duncan Wilson, said, “post boxes are a cherished feature of British streets, adding character, colour and historic depth. Around 200 of the oldest and most rare are listed but all are important to our heritage.” Gov.uk, Guardian
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Ripped off? Promised women’s museum becomes Jack the Ripper attraction |
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In October 2014 Tower Hamlets Council approved plans for a museum of women’s history in Cable Street in the East End of London. As the venue frontage was unveiled in late July it emerged that the building is actually a Jack the Ripper attraction. The original application to the Council read: “the museum will recognise and celebrate the women of the East End who have shaped history, telling the story of how they have been instrumental in changing society. It will analyse the social, political and domestic experience from the Victorian period to the present day.” Many local residents who spoke to the Guardian expressed anger that the Council had been tricked; others pointed out that Jack the Ripper tours have thrived close to the area for years. A spokesperson for Tower Hamlets Council said “the council is aware of the Jack the Ripper imagery and is investigating the extent to which unauthorised works may have been carried out at the premises.” Commentator Julia Laite argues that there is a place for an insightful museum of the Ripper’s victims, but suspects that the new venue may be more prurient. Guardian, Guardian (comment)
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All out strike at National Gallery |
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Months of intermittent industrial action at the National Gallery continue with an announcement of four more days of strikes, and a continuous all-out strike beginning on August 17th. PCS’s Mark Serwotka described the action as a “heroic struggle to defend the functions of a national institution”. A National Gallery statement countered that it needed to “introduce new working practices for some visitor-facing and security staff to enable (us) to operate more flexibly. There will be no job cuts and terms and conditions will be protected." Reuters
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Also: There has been further strike action at National Museum Wales over terms and conditions for weekend working. BBC
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Taking Part child statistics and adult longitudinal survey |
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The Taking Part child report for 2014/15 has now been released. Findings include:
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- 98% of children aged 5 – 15 took part in arts in the last year, down 1% from 2013/14. Children are taking part in more film and video activities compared with 2008/9. Dance, arts and crafts and computer activities have declined among 11 – 15 year olds.
- 69% of children visited a heritage site in the last year
- 70% of children visited a library in the last year, a similar number to 2013 /14 but down from 75% in 2008 /9.
- 62% of children visited a museum in the last year. The figure is similar to the previous year and 2008/9. However visits to museums by boys aged 5 – 10 have declined by 7.2% since 2008/9; there is no change among older boys. 24.9% of children aged 11 – 15 visited a museum outside school time, however this declined to 12.6% among children with a limiting disability.
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Since 2012/13 there has been a longitudinal component to Taking Part, in which the same people are re-interviewed yearly to discover fluctuations in individual experience over time. 50% of adults in the cohort said they had visited a museum at least once during the year – a percentage unchanged in the first two years of the survey. Where an individual adult’s visiting patterns increased or decreased between interviews, the availability of free time was the main reason given. Taking Part (summary), Gov.uk (full report) Taking Part (longitudinal survey -adults)
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Future adult releases of Taking Part will be issued every six months rather than three times a year. The next release will be in December 2015.
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DCMS is consulting on the future of Taking Part, and is seeking views from users. To participate, please fill in the Word document linked to in the second paragraph here: Taking Part
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Volunteers and museums: useful presentations |
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The South West Federation of Museums has published its presentations from it's a conference about museums and volunteering. Arts Council England’s John Orna-Ornstein was among the speakers, and illustrated how retaining volunteers can be crucial for museums. The average local authority museum uses 3,800 volunteer hours per year, and each independent museum an average of 7,500. Other speakers looked at the new face of volunteering and participatory museums. Explore the papers here: SWFed
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| Drawing by Sir Hugh Casson of the Oak Room in the Ingram Street Tea Rooms in 1935, Architect and Building News, June 14, 1936. |
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Applicants sought for Spoliation Advisory Panel |
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The Spoliation Advisory Panel considers claims from anyone who lost possession of a cultural object from 1933-1945 (the Nazi era) and advises them on how to proceed. The panel is now seeking to fill three positions: a Chair, who should be senior in the legal profession, and two members, with experience in museums or moral philosophy. There is an honorarium and applications should be sent by 4th September. Cabinet Office (Chair), Cabinet Office (Panel members)
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New Director for Tate Britain |
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Alex Farquharson has been appointed as the new Director of Tate Britain. Farquharson is currently Director of Nottingham Contemporary, which he founded in 2009. He will take up his new post in the late autumn. BBC, Telegraph, Tate
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Working Internationally Regional Project – International travel grant scheme announced |
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The Working Internationally Regional Project (WIRP) has announced details of its international travel grant scheme to support non-national museums in England to work internationally. The travel grants will enable recipients to undertake an international research visit in 2016 to museums and/or organisations abroad which would not otherwise be possible. The intention is to support non-national museums who are starting to develop international contacts. Priority will be given to museums whose staff have not previously undertaken international travel as part of their work.
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The total budget available for the travel grants is £12,000. Applications will be considered for grants of up to £2,000 per organisation or consortium. Applications open on 15th October and close on 30th October at noon. Enquiries to Dana Andrew, WIRP Project Co-ordinator, [email protected] ICOM UK
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Working Internationally Regional Project – workshops open for booking |
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The following WIRP Workshops are now open for booking:
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The WIRP Workshops will enhance the skills, knowledge, and confidence of participants to develop international work. Relevant case studies will be presented alongside facilitated group work, and participants will have an opportunity to network with colleagues and speakers. Tickets £35 or £25 for small organisations with less than 20,000 visitors per year. The fee includes refreshments, lunch, and a delegate pack. Places are limited so early booking is advised.
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University Museums Group conference – Science and Society |
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The next University Museums Group conference explores Science and Society. As universities develop ground breaking research, it is often their museum services which are creating a dialogue with the public about these new discoveries. This includes challenging subjects like climate change to genetic engineering. The conference also looks at the intersection between science and the arts. The event takes place on 23rd and 24th September at Durham Castle. Tickets are from £75 (£45 students) and there is accommodation available from £54. UMG
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National Army Museum Autumn Lectures |
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The National Army Museum remains closed for redevelopment until 2016, but is offering a series of lunchtime lectures during the autumn at the Army & Navy Club. Three lectures look at aspects of the lives of Indian soldiers during the First World War, and two at Black and West Indian experiences in the British army. Professor Mark Connelly kicks off the season on 7th September with a talk about how Anzacs in the FWW have been portrayed on film and TV. Tickets are free but must be booked in advance. NAM
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V&A Innovative Leadership programme |
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The V&A has opened applications for its Innovative Leadership programme for 2015/16. The ten month programme includes seminars, twelve workshops, action learning, individual coaching and online learning resources. It also teaches hands on management skills such as finance, team dynamics, strategy and problem solving. The programme has run for ten years, trained 200, and has alumni in leadership positions at major museums. It begins on 14th October, and costs £3k + VAT, or £4k + VAT to obtain a qualification. V&A
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Tell A New Direction about your work with London schools |
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The organisation A New Direction, which supports cultural learning among young people in London, is inviting museums to fill in a short survey about their relationship with London schools. The survey will take no more than eight minutes to complete, and will help shape A.N.D’s work to remove barriers to access. A New Direction
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Museums Association Annual Conference: early bird closing soon |
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Early bird prices for the Museums Association conference ends this Friday 7th August. It takes place in Birmingham on 5th and 6th November and the theme is ‘Radical Futures’. Subjects covered include new business models, the northern powerhouse, diversity, museums of health and homelessness, and ethics. The closing keynote will be by Darren Henley, Chief Executive of Arts Council England. Museums Journal
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The Entrepreneurial Museum |
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Oxford Aspire is running a workshop in partnership with Said Business School on the Entrepreneurial Museum. As museums come under increasing financial pressure to reinvent themselves as businesses, this workshop helps participants to experiment, take risks and make skilful decisions. The day is aimed at people in a position to lead change in their institutions. Tickets are £125 +VAT. University of Oxford
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Call for responses: standard for new museum buildings |
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The National Conservation Service has published a draft Standard covering the building qualities required for new archives, libraries, museums and galleries and for storage and other areas in existing buildings that are undergoing improvements. NCS is now seeking comments on the draft. A final version will be issued in 2016/17. NCS
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Heritage Alliance offers policy news website |
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The Heritage Alliance has produced a new website to carry stories from its popular fortnightly bulletin, Heritage News. The excellent publication is similar in concerns (and length) to our own newsletter, but with a focus on the heritage sector. The new website should make it easier to pick out stories and share links. Heritage Alliance
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How to heat a vast mansion without breaking the climate |
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The most recent report by Julie’s Bicycle into energy saving in the cultural sector said that some of the greatest challenges are faced by museums whose large buildings make it difficult to reduce costs after initial interventions. Now the National Trust is leading the way with a £30m programme to make radical cuts in carbon use, despite their property profile. A biomass boiler at Ickworth in Suffolk has already replaced a 5,000 litre oil tank. Future plans include a lake source heating project at Blickling in Norfolk, and a hydro project in Cumbria, where there is a historic link with hydro-powered cotton mills. Overall, the Trust aims to reduce energy use by 20% and rely on 50% renewables by 2020. National Trust
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ACE blog: responding to climate change |
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Ian Rimington, an Arts Council England Relationship Manager, has blogged about the organisation’s attitude to cultural leadership and climate change. He believes, as climate change expert Lord Stern does, that we have reached a turning point: recent developments include a billion pound ‘Apollo’ investment programme to accelerate carbon reduction, France has passed a law that new buildings must have solar panels or green roofs, a court in the Netherlands has ruled that the Dutch Government must take action and both the Pope and Dalai Lama have been vocal on the subject. Rimington says that adapting to a post-carbon world will profoundly affect how culture is delivered, but that culture will also help people to deal with change. The Arts Council is sponsoring a small number of organisations to develop a specialism in this area, and become thought leaders for the sector. ACE
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And finally… Tunnel Vision |
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Local newspapers and social media have transformed the fortunes of Rhondda Tunnel Society. The small group formed in 2014 is campaigning to use Wales’ longest railway tunnel, which has been closed for 47 years, as a bike route and footpath. Coverage has unexpectedly led to a thousand people joining the group, including Rhondda’s MP Chris Bryant and an extensive international following. Fans from as far away as California, New South Wales and Fujiyoshida, Japan spoke to Wales Online about their passion for the project. Chairman Stephen Mackey described the support as ‘stunning’, adding that it had also struck a chord locally. “The pub was absolutely chock-a-block with residents from the area and not one of them objected to the plans. They were all very excited about it. They’re the poor relation because Blaengwnfi is cut off from everything. So if the tunnel did open, it would give them their identity back.” Wales Online, Rhondda Tunnel on Twitter, Wales Online, Rhondda Tunnel Society
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