Museum sector bodies make joint submission to Autumn Budget consultation
NMDC together with Art Fund, AIM, ECMN and the MA have made a joint submission to HM Treasury’s call for policy suggestions for the 2024 Autumn Budget.
The submission outlines how museums can help deliver all five of the Government’s Missions, as part of their role supporting economies and communities around the country and their major contribution to pride in place, education, health and well-being and the green agenda.
It also highlights the current challenges for UK museums – after over a decade of austerity and with the cost of living crisis and legacy of the pandemic continuing to bite, museum budgets at both national and regional levels are stretched to breaking point, with many Local Authority-reliant museums now in a perilous financial position. Sector bodies therefore make a number of proposals for how Government can support UK museums in the Autumn Budget, including:
Emergency funding for civic museums: An injection of immediate funds would help rectify some of the damage inflicted by austerity and bring the most at-risk civic museums back to a more stable position until more sustainable long-term solutions can be found.
Fair, long-term funding settlements for Local Authorities: A fairer funding settlement is urgently needed so Local Authorities can support and invest in their museums – without this the future for civic museums across the country will continue to look bleak.
Maintaining funding to Arts Council England: Funding to ACE needs to enable, at minimum, fulfilment of existing commitments for National Portfolio funding, as well as project grant funding so that core museum work such as collections care continues to be supported in the wider sector.
Capital investment for all UK museums: Investment is needed across the whole museum sector for maintenance backlogs and repairs to historic buildings, to ensure the long-term safety of collections and public access to them.
In particular the response calls for the continuation and expansion of the Museums Estates and Development Fund (MEND) fund. The huge over-subscription for the first two rounds demonstrates the urgent need across the sector for further funding to extend the scheme.
It also calls for green investment to support the decarbonisation of the sector and make museum buildings resilient to pressures from the changing climate, and funding for digital infrastructure and cyber security to ensure collections remain safe, secure and accessible.
Devolved museum funding: National and regional museums across Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales face the same challenges as their counterparts in England – a fair funding settlement is essential to ensure devolved governments can support and invest in their museums.
Cultural and creative education: Museum bodies urge Government to restore the place of creative subjects on the school curriculum, and to invest in museums as a vital part of the UK’s cultural education infrastructure.
Retaining free admission to UK national museums: Free entry has been a major Labour policy success which increases visitor numbers, as well as delivering a huge range of cultural, learning and economic benefits.
Museums and Galleries Exhibition Tax Relief (MGETR): The response stresses the importance of MGETR and proposes changes that would increase its impact and benefits – including maintaining higher rates of relief, adapting the scheme so that Local Authority museums can access it, revisiting thresholds and limits of the relief and expansion to include wider forms of museum activity.
Museum sector bodies will continue working in partnership to make the case to Government for adequate, long-term and sustainable investment in all UK museums, including in preparation for the upcoming Spending Review in Spring 2025. NMDC
Joint statement on Unethical Sales from collections
Arts Council England released a joint statement signed by organisations across the sector that outlines the guidelines and actions around ethical management of collections. Whilst disposal of museum objects is part of a responsible approach to managing collections, selling items for short term financial gain should not be done and could lead to the public losing access to important parts of our shared cultural heritage. Potential consequences for such actions include a five-year exclusion from Accreditation by the Accreditation Committee and loss of membership of the Museums Association. NMDC members will also not enter any further partnership activity with the museum, including object loans, and will reconsider any existing partnership arrangements. Emmie Kell, Director of Museums and Cultural Property at Arts Council England, commented: “Museums must take the long view – preserving access to the past for current and future generations. The operating context for museums is challenging, but sale from collections in the aim of financial sustainability is not the answer.” Arts Council (press release), Arts Council (statement), Museums Association
National Gallery reveals details of rehang and acquires £2m Alma-Tadema painting
The National Gallery has been revealing the details of the redisplay of over 1,100 art works as it prepares for the May 2025 reopening of the Sainsbury Wing as the main entrance of the gallery. Christine Riding, Director of Collections and Research, who is leading the planning of the work said: “It’s also elicited quite a change in culture, particularly for the curatorial department, because curators had tended to think about their areas of the collection and their displays, but this is the curatorial team working collaboratively together across the entire site. So, we are rethinking the collection and the way it’s presented but also the architecture and the spaces suggesting certain ways of displaying works of art.” The work began in August with the gallery subdivided into eight spaces that are being closed in rotation. To mark the 200th anniversary year the gallery has also acquired ‘After the Audience’ by British Dutch-born painter Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema for £2million. National Gallery (NG200), National Gallery (Alma-Tadema), Art Newspaper (£)
Also: National Gallery pillar-hating letter ‘a compromise’, BBC, Guardian
National Portrait Gallery appoints first female Director
The National Portrait Gallery has named Victoria Siddall as Director from Autumn 2024. Siddall has 20 years’ experience of leadership positions in the art world in the public and private sectors. She was previously Global Director of Frieze, the contemporary art fair, and co-founded the Gallery Climate Coalition and Murmur, two charities that drive environmental responsibility in the art and music sectors. Siddall replaces Nicholas Cullinan who moved to become Director of the British Museum in June 2024. NPG, Art Newspaper (£), Guardian
Five architect teams shortlisted for British Museum design competition
The British Museum has announced a shortlist of five architect-led teams for the renovation of their Western Range Galleries. The teams were selected from 60 applications, stage two of the competition will run till December 2024 with a display of entries in the museum’s Round Reading Room. The outcome of the competition will be announced in early 2025. British Museum (press release), Art Newspaper (£), Museums Association
Also: British Museum working with National Archives to improve record-keeping, Museums AssociationAlso: British Museum reveals that 2022 bequest from tycoon and former trustee was worth £123m, Art Newspaper, Guardian
London Museum receives additional £50m towards new Smithfield museum
The Mayor of London and City of London Corporation have committed an additional £25m each towards the new London Museum (previously the Museum of London) bringing the total budget to £437m. The new funding will bring the Mayor’s overall contribution to £95m and the City of London Corporation’s to £222m. The museum will explore green loan opportunities to achieve the remaining £20m towards their final target. The permanent galleries at the historic Smithfield Market location are due to open in 2026, with a learning centre, temporary exhibition spaces and collection stores to open in 2028. London Museum, BBC, Art Newspaper (£)
V&A completes move of 250,000 objects to new storehouse
V&A East is now the home of over 250,000 objects, 350,000 library books and nearly 1,000 archives in a purpose built 16,000m2 space which will provide open public access to collections through self-guided tours and changing displays. The move which has been five years in the planning will see the V&A East Storehouse open to the public in 2025. Tim Reeve, Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer of the V&A, said: “We are particularly excited to be bringing the collections and archives to communities across the four Olympic boroughs, in a part of London with a rich creative heritage and great contemporary creative potential, for a new audience to discover a radically different type of museum experience when Storehouse opens in 2025.” V&A East, M+H Advisor, Museums Association
Also: V&A in search of rare exhibits: male staff, Times
Royal Armouries secures £250k towards a new Special Exhibitions Gallery
The Royal Armouries have been awarded £150K from the Garfield Weston Foundation and £100K from the Wolfson Foundation for their new gallery, part of a wider Armouries 700 plan, which aims to widen access to its collections and diversify audiences. The first exhibition in the gallery ‘Gladiators- Heroes of the Colosseum’ will open to the public in June 2025. South Leeds Life
Brighton Museums smash fundraising target to save Royal Pavilion dome
Brighton & Hove Museums launched an urgent appeal to close the £10K funding shortfall to restore a 200-year old dome on the Royal Pavilion’s roof after routine restoration work uncovered substantial decay following water damage. The online donations raised over £27.5K in three days. Hedley Swain, CEO of Brighton & Hove Museums said: “We can’t thank our supporters enough for their generosity. It shows how much people love and care for the Royal Pavilion. The extra money raised will go towards specialist repairs needed for the copper Banqueting Room canopy. Water damage to the spectacular ceiling beneath is putting the breath-taking dragon chandelier at risk.” Brighton & Hove Museums (roof), Museums Association (roof repairs) Also: £6.5 million Royal Pavilion Garden project gets green light, Brighton & Hove Museums, Brighton Journal
Also: RAF Museum Midlands secures approval for major redevelopment to enhance visitor experience, Experience UK
Also: ‘At Tate Modern, I want us to take real risks’: director outlines her plans to borrow rather than buy Indigenous art’, Art Newspaper (£)
Images this month celebrate 60 years of the Natural History Museum's Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition with a look at some of the highly commended photographs for 2024. The winners will be announced on 8 October, with an exhibition showcasing 100 photographs from around the world opening on 11 October. Wildlife Photographer of the Year is developed and produced by the Natural History Museum, London. NHM
The Museum Data Service (MDS), which aims to revolutionise access to the UK's cultural heritage, launched on 13 September. A collaboration between Art UK, Collections Trust and the University of Leicester and funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies and the UKRI Arts and Humanities Council (AHRC), the MDS will provide a platform to bring together over 100 million object records from 1,750 collections across the UK, creating an invaluable new resource for researchers, educators, curators and content developers.
The MDS has launched with an initial collection of 3,129,798 records from 21 museums. By creating a single, unified platform it enables museums of all sizes to easily upload and securely manage their object records, whilst also making it easy for users to search and retrieve records across multiple collections and databases. Another 1.9m object records are already in the pipeline and Art UK, as the first major user of MDS, will leverage its capabilities to double the number of artworks on its platform from 300,000 to 600,000 by the end of the year, with millions more to follow.
Supporting the launch was Minister for Creative Industries, Arts and Tourism Sir Chris Bryant, who said: "Museums are changing. They have always showcased the stories of how we came to be who we are today. But the Museum Data Service is another leap forward in museums' digital capabilities, expanding opportunities for research and collaboration, and preserving the rich history that our museums hold."
Andrew Ellis, Director of Art UK said: "Today marks the culmination of a remarkable collaboration, reshaping the digital future for museums and galleries. Art UK is proud to be among the first to leverage this groundbreaking service, which has already begun transforming how we manage and present our records. We look forward to seeing museums everywhere embrace this new frontier." Museum Data Service, University of Leicester (press release)
Labour Conference will feature a Creative Pavilion programme in Liverpool
A number of heritage and culture organisations will be present at the Labour Conference in September at a Creative Pavilion which will hosted by Creative UK. The programme across three days in Liverpool will feature talks on regeneration and place-making with the Heritage Alliance, Art Fund and Crafts Council as well as a panel discussion on access to finance, sustainable growth and working class access to the cultural and creative industries. The programme runs from Sunday 22 – Tuesday 24 September. Creative UK
DCMS report on approaches to measure the economic contribution of heritage
The Department of Culture Media & Sport commissioned Alma Economics to carry out a feasibility study of different approaches to produce a single reliable estimate of the economic contribution of heritage organisations to the UK economy. The study looked at 4 approaches:
Dynamic mapping
‘SIC-SOC’ mapping
Satellite accounts
‘big data’
Based on the study ‘SIC-SOC’ (which maps heritage occupations (SOC codes) to their corresponding industry codes (SIC)) emerged as the best of the four approaches in the short term. Alongside expanding the list of heritage industries and occupations, and incorporating additional data on heritage activities and outputs. DCMS (overview), DCMS (research analysis)
Also: DCMS sectors economic estimates show a 0.5% increase for June 2024 when compared to May 2024. While the GVA (Gross Value Added) by the UK as a whole remained unchanged. Gov.uk
Jane Hutt has become the new Welsh Culture Secretary with oversight of museums and the arts. She was first elected to the Senedd in 1999 and appointed Deputy Minister and Chief Whip in 2018. In May 2021 she was appointed Minister for Social Justice. Her responsibilities include sponsorship and remit of the Arts Council of Wales and local museums and collections. Hutt has lived in Wales since 1972 and was awarded a CBE in the 2023 Birthday Honours. Gov.Wales, Museums Association
Also: Harjeet Shota appointed as Special Advisor to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, ‘X’/Twitter / Starmer’s special advisers: a complete guide, Spectator
Concerns have been raised for the future of culture funding in Scotland following confirmation that the Scottish government will cut up to £500m from the budget. BBC /Guardian. This is set in the context of a Museums Galleries Scotland (MGS) survey which has found that 11% of Scottish museums and galleries are at risk of closure in the next 12 months. Arts Professional / MGS (evidence submission to Scottish government). Creative Scotland initially announced they were cutting the Open Fund which supports the activity of Scottish artists and other creative practitioners (Art Newspaper). Subsequently on the 5 September the Museums Association announced the Open Fund would get a reprieve but John Swinney, First Minister of Scotland, had also ordered a wholesale review of Creative Scotland. Museums Association, Scotsman
Welsh Government commits to £5 million for culture and sport bodies
The Welsh Government are providing £5m from their reserves to support cultural and sporting institutions facing financial pressures. The National Library will receive £725,000 and the Royal Commission is to benefit from £90,000. In addition, £1.5m will go to the Arts Council of Wales which will include providing support to arts organisations focusing on organisational resilience, Sport Wales will receive £1m, while Amgueddfa Cymru is to benefit from £940,000. Funding of £745,000 will also allow Cadw to maintain financial sustainability. Gov.Wales, Museums Association
Leeds Museums and Galleries released a new report demonstrating the economic impact of council-run museums showing that in the last year they had generated £41.7m for the local economy. The statistics also showed that just under a million visitors had interacted with their services in the last year, with more than 47,000 school pupils and 109,312 children taking part in activities. Leeds Museums & Galleries.
Also: The BBC published an article on the value of Birmingham’s art collection, aligning the story with a need to plug a £300m whole in the council’s budget, which garnered criticism and a large number of comments on ‘X’/Twitter. The impact of cuts to Birmingham continues with the news the council have withdrawn a £3.5m grant to Highbury Hall. BBC, Museums Journal, ‘X’/Twitter (art collection), Birmingham Live (Highbury Hall)
Also: We cut arts funding but spent £4m on each Olympic medal. Is that fair? Times
Jason Gulley / Wildlife Photographer of the Year. Natural History Museum, London.
UK Heritage Pulse highlights deficit budgets and sector issues
In June, 250 UK Heritage Pulse panel members completed a survey that looked at financial performance as well as responding to a number of topical statements. Findings included:
Almost a third of responding organisations ended the last financial year operating a deficit, and of those almost two thirds expect to also end this year in deficit.
Half of organisations, 51%, indicated their reserves were below target level.
Some of the financial issues faced included; cost of living crisis, expensive building restorations and reduction in council funding.
54% agreed that engaging and motivating volunteers was getting harder over time.
65% also agreed that it is very challenging to make buildings and operations truly energy efficient. Heritage Pulse
Historic England have published research carried out by Professor Silvia Cerisola that looks at how cultural heritage enhances creativity and supports the growth of the creative economy. The study shows that where cultural heritage is abundant the area performs better economically. On average a marginal increase in cultural heritage is associated with a real GDP growth of 0.14%. Historic England (press release), Historic England (report, pdf, 23pgs), Arts Industry
Historic England have published their Historic Environment Overview for 2023-24. The 93 page document provides a useful overview of policy change and initiatives over the last 12 months. There are also sections on 'Funding and Investment', 'Climate Change and the Environment', and 'Skills, Capacity and Resilience'. A number of case studies are included that look at conservation, wellbeing and regeneration projects. Historic England (press release), Historic England (overview, pdf, 93pgs)
Public engagement with archives is revealed in new National Archives research
In 2023-24 The National Archives conducted research across the archives sector in England. 137 archives across England responded to the survey with 50% from local authority archives and the others drawn from Higher Education, charity, business and museum/gallery archives. Key findings included:
The most common public engagement activities were temporary exhibitions and displays (84%), community engagement projects (76%) and onsite talks (74%).
59% offered school education sessions onsite, a further 28% have offered this in the past but were unable to at present.
The main barriers to providing public engagement activities were lack of staff (92%), other priorities (74%) and financial resources (83%). Just over half cited a lack of space as an issue.
Only a quarter of respondents had staff dedicated to public engagement. National Archives
New research from heritage insurer, Ecclesiastical, has shown that 9 in 10 heritage organisations have suffered a crime in the past year. Anti-social behaviour including theft of metal and theft of oil has also increased. The survey questioned 500 heritage decision makers and found a 2% increase on organisations that had to deal with a crime compared to the previous year, the sample included 100 respondents from museums. 35% of respondents also had to close as a result of crimes, up from 30% in 2023. Ecclesiastical, Museums Association
Screen Tourism boosts potential travellers to the UK
New research from VisitBritain has demonstrated the potential for British TV and film locations to motivate and inspire travel to the UK. The research shows that screen tourism is popular amongst all demographics but has more impact amongst younger travellers with 7 in 10 leisure visitors to the UK having visited a film or tv location. VisitBritain (press release), VisitBritain (research, pdf, 46pgs)
Opportunity to partner with the National Gallery Masterpieces Tour
The National Gallery Masterpieces Tour 2025-27 offers UK museums, galleries and art centres the opportunity to partner with the National Gallery to display major works from the collection across the UK. The opportunity is for three years to display three major works beginning with Claude Monet’s ‘The Petit Bras of the Seine at Argentuil’. Four successful organisations will work collaboratively with the National Gallery, a local community partner and each other to develop the Masterpiece tour and display a different painting each year. The deadline for applications is 12 noon on Friday 27 September 2024. National Gallery (press release), National Gallery (Application, pdf, 6pgs)
Academic survey seeks to capture thoughts on museums and democracy
‘Cultural Dynamics. Museum and Democracy in Motion’ is an AHRC-DFG funded research project at Newcastle University and Wüzberg University in Germany. The project seeks to understand how museums in the UK and Germany are (re)positioning themselves in the changing social and cultural dynamics of democracy. They are also looking to explore interconnections between changing democratic societies and changing perceptions of what a museum is for. They are requesting UK museums to complete the survey which will be open until 30 September 2024. The survey is expected to take between 10-60 minutes depending on the depth of your answers. Newcastle University (Cultural Dynamics project), Cultural Dynamics (survey)
Historic England launch Inclusive Heritage Advice Hub
The Inclusive Heritage Advice Hub has a wealth of digestible information to support the heritage sector to become more diverse. Advice is presented through case studies, templates, checklists, guidance and external signposting. Of particular relevance to leadership teams is a section on ‘Inclusive governance boards and diverse trustees’. Other sections include:
Inclusion and diversity in the workplace
Diverse workforces
Understanding and working with diverse audiences and participants
There is also the opportunity to submit your own case study for inclusion. The guide will continue to evolve as more information and resources are added. Historic England, M+H Advisor
Curating for Change launch disability history trail at the Museum of Liverpool
Part of a disability hub on the Museum of Liverpool website that was put together by the Curating for Change programme, the disability history trail features 14 objects from the Museum’s collections. The objects have been chosen to illustrate individual stories, while putting them in the wider context of people’s experience of disability. Each object on the trail has an audio description and BSL interpretation. Included in the trail are two Barbie dolls, one wearing hearing aids and the other with Down’s Syndrome. Museum of Liverpool (Disability hub), Museum of Liverpool (Disability History Trail, Curating for Change
Jose Manuel Grandío / Wildlife Photographer of the Year. Natural History Museum, London.
Debate continues on whether ‘X’/Twitter is the best place for museums to have a social media presence following continuing concerns about the values and reduced engagement levels of the social media platform since the takeover by Elon Musk. The Museums Association Journal recently published a piece on Museums Galleries Scotland and their decision to significantly scale back their presence on ‘X’ as part of a new social media strategy. Other cultural organisations leaving ‘X’ since the takeover include the Association of Cultural Enterprises, who left in January 2024 over a ‘misalignment of values’ (M+H Advisor), with others making the decision to leave prompted by its role in August’s far-right riots. VisitBritain’s Annual Attractions Survey for 2023 reported that the use of ‘X’/Twitter was down 9 percentage points since 2020 (down from 64% to 55%). Worth a read on this topic is – Shout out to my X, Ned Potter has also written a useful blog about next steps if you decide to leave ‘X’.
Also: Shout Out: Successful Marketing, PR and Social Media Strategies, from the Museums Association. A one day online zoom session with panel discussions and practical case studies. 9 October 2024, non-members £65 and members £45. Museums Association
The London Museum (formerly Museum of London) has launched a new website which features a renewed look at the collections through objects connected to the borough’s across London. Trish Thomas, Head of Digital Innovation, has also written a post about how the new website has been using AI to power content relationships. London Museum (website), Trish Thomas (LinkedIn post)
This blog post from Georgina Brooke is a really useful look at what digital leadership in the culture sector is all about. It looks at four main ideas including; Digital Content Strategy, Structuring digital teams, Social Media and stepping away from following digital trends to becoming digital leaders. It provides examples including case studies from the V&A and Norfolk Museums as well as further reading. Cultural Content
Also: Prado Museum sticker collection, an innovate use of museum collections, PradoAlso: Immersive art is exploding, and museums have a choice to make, ARTnews
The Act Green Report 2024 seeks to understand what audiences expect from cultural organisations in tackling climate change. This third year of sustainability research undertaken by Indigo generated 17,450 responses from 112 cultural organisations, the largest number participating so far.
Results show that cultural audiences are among some of the most concerned about the climate crisis – 86% are worried about the climate crisis and 93% have made changes to their lifestyle. 72% think cultural organisations have a responsibility to influence society about the climate emergency, and only 16% think cultural organisations currently place great importance on the role they play in the climate emergency.
The research shows that audiences expect action from cultural organisations including reducing and recycling waste, providing information to help audiences act more sustainably, working with suppliers who share their values on environmental issues and joining together with other cultural organisations to campaign, lobby and influence. It also shows that getting audiences involved is key in initiatives to tackle the climate crisis:
74% of audiences said a sustainability accreditation would make them view an organisation more positively.
62% said availability of public transport is the key consideration when thinking about how to travel to an organisation.
70% would act more sustainably either to support an organisation or if it was made easy for them.
50% would support a fundraising campaign to help an organisation redevelop outside space to promote biodiversity.
Indigo CEO Katy Raines says "Audiences want organisations to be proactively demonstrating a commitment to sustainability, communicating more effectively about what they are doing, and informing audiences about how they can help…New areas of questioning have revealed the potential impact of accreditation and given us insight into how audiences expect to see information about sustainability referenced on organisation websites." The full report is available on the Act Green website. Act Green 2024
National Museums Scotland awarded grant to support Climate Change work
The Scottish Government have selected eight projects to benefit from the Climate Engagement Fund with a total of £272,000 shared between them. The projects are intended to support community-based climate action. National Museums Scotland will receive £33,954 as part of this funding in order to offer Climate Change for All workshops which will support behaviour change pledges. Gov.Scot
This useful toolkit from the City of London Corporation and Purcell architects was produced as part of a Climate Resilience Challenge running from 2022-23. It provides a 9-step methodology aimed at empowering building owners to initiate the adaptions necessary to reduce carbon emissions and build climate resilience into heritage buildings. Whilst it has a London context is also provides some helpful visuals for approaches to retrofitting, including what an initial assessment might cover, building a business case and it also has example of a Climate Hazard Impact Assessment. City of London, Toolkit (pdf, 40pgs)
Also: New study identifies the UNESCO heritage sites imperilled by Climate Change, ARTnews
Maria Balshaw joins the campaign to promote the study of art history
The Association for Art History (AAH) has celebrated its 50th anniversary by launching ‘Art History Now’ an online campaign with support from over 90 eminent art history advocates. artists, art historians, writers and broadcasters have shared reflections on what art means to them. Included in the campaign are Maria Balshaw, Director of Tate and Chair of NMDC, plus NMDC members Ian Blatchford, Director & Chief Executive of the Science Museum Group, Christopher Breward, Director National Museums Scotland and Tony Butler, Executive Director of Derby Museums. AAH (press release), AAH (campaign), Art Newspaper (£)
Campaign for the arts shows further fall in arts enrolment
New analysis by the Campaign for the Arts has shown that arts subject now account for a smaller proportion of GCSE and A-level entries than at any time since 2010. Over that period there has been a 47% drop at GCSE, from 13.4% of entries in 2010 to only 7.1% this year, and a 31% drop at A-level, from 15.3% of entries in 2010 to only 10.5% this year. It is also worth noting that the number of arts teachers in English state-funded secondary schools fell by 27% between 2011 and 2024, from 55,000 to 40,000. Campaign for the Arts
Call for Honours nominations for HM The King’s Birthday Honours List 2025
A reminder you can now submit a nomination for an individual who has made achievements in public life and committed themselves to serving and helping Britain. Gov.uk
The Heritage Volunteering Group (HVG) are seeking nominations for Volunteer Leaders whether paid or unpaid - Volunteer Coordinator, Supervisor or Manager for 2024. The award celebrates the achievements of those who have made a difference and recognises innovative and outstanding examples of volunteering leadership and management within our sector. The deadline for nominations is 1 October 2024 and the winner will be announced online at the Heritage Volunteering Conference on 26-27 November. The nomination form can be downloaded from the HVG website. HVG
Deadline approaches for Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund
The Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund is awarded via the Museums Association (MA) and supports a range of projects that bring collections closer to people. The fund has a focus on funding museums and their community partners for inclusive collections and participation work. In particular with an interest in supporting social and climate justice using museum collections. In a change to previous years, core costs will be supported. Grants of up to £100,000 over around 2 years are available. Applicants are asked to speak to a member of the Collections Fund staff at the MA before submitting an EOI. The deadline for autumn 2024 applications is 16 September. Museums Association
Launch of The Anti-racist Wales Culture, Heritage and Sport Fund (Capital Grant)
The Capital Grant Fund from the Welsh Government will support capital projects from culture, heritage and sport organisations that have community support and can deliver a positive, sustainable change for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people in Wales. Grants are available from £3,000 to £15,000, with funding up to £20,000 for exceptional projects. The deadline for applications is 30 September. Gov.Wales
National Portfolio Creative People and Places funding opens for 2026-29
Arts Council England have published the guidance for their Creative People and Places funding which focuses on parts of the country where involvement in creativity and culture is significantly below the national average. Applicants can apply for between £750,000 and £1m but activities must be carried out in an eligible location. Projects also require 15% match funding from the applicants. The online application form will open on 12 September and the deadline for applications is 16 January 2025. ACE
Everyday Heritage Grants celebrating working class histories
English Heritage have launched a new round of their ‘Everyday Heritage Grants: Celebrating Working Class Histories. For this round funding will only be available for projects about buildings in rural and costal locations. Proposals will be accepted for costs up to £25,000 but smaller projects up to £10,000 are preferred. Grant recipients must co-create the work with relevant communities and the process must have accessibility at its core. All organisations are eligible to apply, including community interest groups, charities and local authorities. Proposals must be submitted by 7 October 2024. English Heritage
ICON, the Institute of Conservation, partners with Tru Vue for this grant funding which provides up to £3,000 to support the delivery of conservation projects that enable the safe display of an object in a small heritage institution’s collection. There are at least 5 grants available for small heritage institution’s with under 100,000 visitors per year. The grant comes in two parts with a £3,000 cash award and material donation from Tru Vue worth up to £4,000. The deadline for applications is 30 September 2024. ICON
Sasha Jumanca / Wildlife Photographer of the Year. Natural History Museum, London.
Accessible Museums Conference call for workshops and papers
Leeds Museums and Galleries and the Yorkshire Accessible Museums Network (YAMN) are running a two-day conference on 20 and 21 March 2025 at Leeds City Museum. The conference will explore topics related to accessibility and inclusion for individuals with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and neurodiversity. Workshops could include topics on wayfinding, interpretation, and community engagement. The deadline for submissions is Wednesday 18 September 2024. For an expression of interest form contact Carl Newbould on [email protected]
Kids in Museums: Rethinking Museums 2025 Conference
This online conference from Kids in Museums will run on 5 February 2025 with a theme of ‘Fostering optimism, belonging and meaning for families, children and young people’. The call for speakers focuses on three topics; Family – the role museums play as safe spaces for families and underrepresented family audiences, Society – staying relevant for young people in today’s society, and Careers – case study and workshop presentations looking at innovation in this area. The deadline for proposals is Friday 20 September 2024. KIM
The 2025 Association of Independent Museums Conference will be at The Mary Rose Museum and Portsmouth Historic Dockyard on 18 and 19 June 2025. AIM are looking for proposals for 45 minutes ‘breakout’ sessions that focus on pragmatic advice. There are a number of broad themes suggested for topics including; taking care of people, future-proofing your organisation, managing buildings on a budget and museums and the climate crisis. The deadline to propose a session is 30 September 2024. AIM
History in Archives partners, the Institute of Historical Research, Royal Historical Society and The National Archives are calling for papers on a theme of ‘Working with Memory: History, Storytelling and Practices of Remembrance’. Reflecting on 80 years since the end of World War II in 2025, the conference seeks to understand and work with memory including deciding what memories to collect and whose stories to tell. The call for papers deadline is 30 September 2024. The conference is on 5 March 2025 at Senate House in London. HAP
The 2025 DCDC conference from partners The British Library, Jisc and The National Archives is titled ‘Choose Your Own Future: Resilient Communities and Sustainable Solutions’. The hybrid conference, online and at Durham University, will be on 29-31 July 2025 and invites proposals for online and in-person contributions that look at embracing new technologies such as AI, better understanding audiences alongside collaboration and knowledge sharing. The deadline for contributions is Monday 14 October 2024. DCDC25
This one-day online course from Art Fundraising & Philanthropy is designed to support trustees to take the leadership step into Chair roles. It includes a look at developing a long-term business plan and strategy, responsibility for fundraising and marketing and exploring the challenges of becoming a Chair. The course costs £75 +VAT with a discounted rate of £50 +VAT and will run on Wednesday 9 October from 9.30am-4pm. Arts Fundraising
Rural Museums Network announce their Autumn 2024 lecture series
The Rural Museums Network are offering two lectures this autumn, the first on Thursday 10 Oct will be marking World Mental Health Day and discuss Mental Health in Rural Communities. On Thursday 3 November at 3pm Lucy Neville, Climate Officer for Museums Galleries Scotland will be hosting an open discussion around rural museums and their role in the climate crisis. Rural Museums Network, Mental Health lecture, Climate lecture
Running across a number of dates, this Carbon Literacy Training is for staff and volunteers working in local museums, archives and libraries in Wales. Across two days with sessions running approximately 2 hours participants will gain an understanding of how climate change can affect cultural organisations, explore the impact our sector can have on tackling climate change and create actions to reduce your carbon footprint. The free course is provided by the Welsh Government, places are limited and maybe restricted per organisation. Dates are 26/27 Sept, 31 Oct/1 Nov, 13/14 Jan 2025 and 17/18 February 2025. Contact [email protected] for more information.
Beamish Museum’s Chief Executive, Rhiannon Hiles, has been appointed Vice President of the Association of European Open Air Museums (AEOM). She joins colleagues from across Europe who exchange knowledge and experience relative to open air museums and work to promote their activities. ‘X’, AEOM
National Galleries of Scotland have appointed Venda Louise Pollock as the new Director of Collection and Research. Pollock joins from Newcastle University where she was Dean of Culture and Creative Arts and Professor of Art and Place. Her role begins in November. NGS, M+H Advisor
Jacques Schuhmacher, previously Senior Provenance Researcher Curator at the V&A, has been appointed as Executive Director of Provenance Research at the Art Institute of Chicago. Schuhmacher recently published ‘Nazi-Era Provenance of Museum Collections: A research Guide’, he joined the V&A in 2018 and has spear-headed research that has led to the return of several objects to their countries of origin. Art Newspaper (£)
Charleston, the modernist home and studio of the painters Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant in Sussex, has appointed Kim Jones OBE, Creative Director of Dior Men and Fendi Womenswear, and Sigrid Rausing, publisher of Granta Magazine and Granta Books, as Vice Presidents. Charleston recently opened a new off-site exhibition space in Lewes in September 2023. Charleston, M+H Advisor, Charleston (Lewes)
Xingchao Zhu / Wildlife Photographer of the Year. Natural History Museum, London.
The Shipwreck Treasure Museum in Charlestown, Cornwall, has been put up for sale with an asking price of £1.95m. The museum, which holds more than 7,000 items, many with strong connections to the village it is based in, is owned by Sir Tim Smit, co-founder of the Eden Project. The museum has one of the largest collections of its kind in the UK, including artefacts recovered from the Titanic and the Mary Rose. The property is currently being sold as a going concern. Shipwreck Treasure Museum, BBC, Museums Association
Podcast: Museum of Truth & Lies is a new limited-edition podcast with 6 episodes from Yasmin Khan, an independent curator and cultural advisor. They include an interview with Subhadra Das on interpreting objects connected to empire and an interview with the Crab Museum which looks at the ethics of using fossil fuel sponsorship. The podcast also features an interview with previous Tate Modern Director, Frances Morris, who joins the Guerilla Girls to debate why museums are not neutral. You can also view an online Muse-Zine which has been published alongside the podcasts. Museum of Truth & Lies, Muse-Zine, M+H Advisor
Historic buildings offer a solution to housing shortage, 2 September 2024, Sunday Times, M+H Advisor
National Trust reveals rise in visitor numbers but drop in members, 2 September 2024, Guardian
Plan approved for £15m Ken Dodd Happiness Centre, 21 August 2024, BBC, Guardian
Walthamstow’s Cultural Quarter revitalisation moves forward with renovation of museum and manor, 21 August 2024, Experience UK
William Blake’s cottage – where he wrote ‘Jerusalem’ – a step closer to becoming a museum, 20 August 2024, Art Newspaper (£), Telegraph
