Annual report
2010–11 has been a period of change and retrenchment for the Museums Association and for the members we serve. Governments (including new administrations in England and Wales) have brought with them new ideas and priorities, but the common theme has been cuts. No museum has escaped the consequences.
However we should take heart from the fact that the museum sector is much more capable of rising to the challenge than it might have been 15 years ago. It has more confidence, is better managed and led, has more popular support, and has the ability to articulate its strength and purpose.
Not unrelated to the economic squeeze have been significant shifts in policy and structures. Wales and Scotland have shown the way with clear strategic thinking on the way to producing national strategies.
The Museum Libraries and Archives Council has fallen victim to the cull of quangos, with responsibility for museums in England transferring to Arts Council England. The Arts Council’s first job has been to reconfigure the vital Renaissance in the Regions programme and we look forward with interest to seeing the outcome of that process.
The MA has also had a challenging year. The business plan and staffing structure have been rewritten to take account of the worsening economic climate – basically we have needed to cut our coat according to a smaller piece of cloth.
This has necessitated a change in priorities with greater emphasis on advocacy and strategic work so that we can continue to provide a valued and valuable service to members. Sometimes a period of deep reflection can help an organisation focus on what really matters. I think the MA is more vital than ever – as reflected in the highest ever membership in our history.
Like the sector, the MA is buffeted but in good shape. It is more relevant than ever, it continues to provide professional support for the sector and it has fought the sector’s corner ably and vocally in the last year. This is a tribute to its staff, current and past, who have maintained the stability and quality we both want and need from our professional association.
In 2011–12 we took the momentous step of changing the MA’s governance structure. The MA has always derived considerable benefit from the commitment and expertise of members prepared to donate their time. However, the old governance structure had become too unwieldy and the 2010 AGM voted to replace the MA Council with a 12 person board.
Elections were held in the spring and the MA is already seeing the benefit of a small group of senior and committed members guiding and governing the MA. Personally, it fills me with confidence that both the MA and the museum sector will prevail and emerge stronger from the current difficulties.
Vanessa Trevelyan
President, Museums Association
Click here to see the 2010/11 Annual Report in full (pdf)
Click here to download the MA constitution (pdf)
Annual Report 2009/10
Annual Report 2008/09
Annual Report 2007/08
Annual Report 2006/07
Annual Report 2005/06
Annual Report 2004/05
Annual Report 2003/04
Annual Report 2002/03
However we should take heart from the fact that the museum sector is much more capable of rising to the challenge than it might have been 15 years ago. It has more confidence, is better managed and led, has more popular support, and has the ability to articulate its strength and purpose.
Not unrelated to the economic squeeze have been significant shifts in policy and structures. Wales and Scotland have shown the way with clear strategic thinking on the way to producing national strategies.
The Museum Libraries and Archives Council has fallen victim to the cull of quangos, with responsibility for museums in England transferring to Arts Council England. The Arts Council’s first job has been to reconfigure the vital Renaissance in the Regions programme and we look forward with interest to seeing the outcome of that process.
The MA has also had a challenging year. The business plan and staffing structure have been rewritten to take account of the worsening economic climate – basically we have needed to cut our coat according to a smaller piece of cloth.
This has necessitated a change in priorities with greater emphasis on advocacy and strategic work so that we can continue to provide a valued and valuable service to members. Sometimes a period of deep reflection can help an organisation focus on what really matters. I think the MA is more vital than ever – as reflected in the highest ever membership in our history.
Like the sector, the MA is buffeted but in good shape. It is more relevant than ever, it continues to provide professional support for the sector and it has fought the sector’s corner ably and vocally in the last year. This is a tribute to its staff, current and past, who have maintained the stability and quality we both want and need from our professional association.
In 2011–12 we took the momentous step of changing the MA’s governance structure. The MA has always derived considerable benefit from the commitment and expertise of members prepared to donate their time. However, the old governance structure had become too unwieldy and the 2010 AGM voted to replace the MA Council with a 12 person board.
Elections were held in the spring and the MA is already seeing the benefit of a small group of senior and committed members guiding and governing the MA. Personally, it fills me with confidence that both the MA and the museum sector will prevail and emerge stronger from the current difficulties.
Vanessa Trevelyan
President, Museums Association
Click here to see the 2010/11 Annual Report in full (pdf)
Click here to download the MA constitution (pdf)
Previous years
Annual Report 2009/10
Annual Report 2008/09
Annual Report 2007/08
Annual Report 2006/07
Annual Report 2005/06
Annual Report 2004/05
Annual Report 2003/04
Annual Report 2002/03
