Why local museums matter 6 Jun 2016
NMDC's Chair Diane Lees has written for First - the magazine of the Local Government Association - with suggestions for local authorities on getting the most out of their museums at a time of budget pressures. Lees says that although some councils are finding it increasingly difficult to invest, some short-term measures will allow local museums to make more efficient use of their resources. These include:
- Giving museums their digital independence - a museum's own Instagram and Twitter accounts allow museums them to maximise fundraising and audience engagement;
- Museums can be freed up to make their own procurement decisions without necessarily becoming independent trusts; and
- Few museums are members of local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) but there are clear advantages in places like Cornwall where museums and businesses sit together on LEPs. Museums make places more attractive to live in and can deliver health and well-being projects.