LEADING CULTURE

16 May 2002

A seminar for key leaders in UK museums, libraries, galleries and archives

The first ever seminar on leadership and management in the museums' sector is to be held on 22 May 2002 at the British Museum.

Leading Culture, supported by the National Museums Directors' Conference (NMDC), DCMS and Re:source, will focus on the need to improve and develop leadership skills at all levels across museums, galleries, libraries and archives. The seminar will set leadership in context, draw parallels with other sectors and establish an action plan.

Chaired by Kate Adie, the speakers include Liz Amos, Council for Excellence in Management and Leadership, and Professor Stephen Watson, Chair of the Association of Business Schools and Principal of Henley Management College. Baroness Blackstone, Minister for the Arts and Lord Evans, Chair of Re:source, will give keynote addresses.

Roy Clare, Director of the National Maritime Museum and chair of the NMDC Leadership working party comments: "Leadership is a quality needed by all of us. As a skill-set, leadership ranks alongside professional knowledge, managerial know-how and problem solving.

"The aim is to empower existing museum professionals and to encourage the development of curator directors.

"Against a background of strong achievement by many institutions across Britain, we recognise that still more remains to be done. Resources for leadership need focused investment if excellence is to be assured and sustainable in the future. This seminar is designed to put leadership skills at the top of the agenda."