Museums urged to take part in culture strategy consultation
Culture secretary says it is vital that museums participate in the development of a wider culture strategy for Scotland
The Scottish government has urged museums and heritage organisations across the country to respond to a consultation on its new culture strategy.
At the initiative’s launch in June, Fiona Hyslop, the cabinet secretary for culture, tourism and external affairs, said the strategy would be “a way to articulate a vision for culture that describes culture’s relationship and role across all aspects of society”.
An online discussion forum hosted by the Scottish government highlights potential issues in the sector such as infrastructure investment, protecting community spaces against development and widening participation.
The government has organised a series of public events this autumn in locations including Dundee, Inverness and Paisley.
“Scotland’s museums and galleries are a critical part of the country’s cultural infrastructure, attracting more than 25 million visitors a year and hugely contributing to the flourishing of Scotland’s art and culture sector,” says Hyslop.
“The Scottish government highly values the significant addition our museums make to the wider culture sector in Scotland. It is crucial that the museum sector participates in the discussion around the development of a wider culture strategy for Scotland, and actively contributes to the upcoming public sessions, sharing their key priorities and aspirations.”
Gillian Findlay, the curatorial and engagement manager at City of Edinburgh Council and a Museums Association (MA) board member, emphasises that Museums Galleries Scotland's (MGS) national strategy delivery plan for museums runs until 2019 and is working well. Its aims included maximising collections’ potential and inspiring greater public participation.
“The six key aims have been reviewed and tightened up and they are very usable for the sector, regardless of where you are in Scotland or the size of your museum,” says Findlay.
She adds that the culture and museum strategies need to be able to work together. “It’s over to us in the sector to make our voices heard as to how that might look,” says Findlay. “There’s no reason not to get involved.”
Duncan Dornan, the head of museums and collections at Glasgow Life, which delivers culture services for Glasgow City Council, says it is important to highlight the impact made by museums, in the consultation.
“The overarching principles of the consultation from Glasgow’s perspective speak well to our core objectives, so it’s a good opportunity,” he says. “And it is encouraging that the government is taking the time to review this in order to shape policy and perceptions of the museum sector.
“The museum sector makes a contribution on a wide number of fronts – in wealth and wellbeing, economic development and tourism – and it’s good to have an opportunity to express that overtly.”
Joanne Orr, the chief executive of MGS, says: “Museums are a key component of Scotland’s rich cultural scene, and MGS supports the development of a long-term strategy for cultural activity in Scotland. We are pleased to be involved in the consultation phase, and are confident that this new framework will recognise and build on the contribution of museums to the lives of individuals, families and communities across the country.”
The MA is among the organisations responding to the Scottish government’s culture strategy consultation.
At the initiative’s launch in June, Fiona Hyslop, the cabinet secretary for culture, tourism and external affairs, said the strategy would be “a way to articulate a vision for culture that describes culture’s relationship and role across all aspects of society”.
An online discussion forum hosted by the Scottish government highlights potential issues in the sector such as infrastructure investment, protecting community spaces against development and widening participation.
The government has organised a series of public events this autumn in locations including Dundee, Inverness and Paisley.
“Scotland’s museums and galleries are a critical part of the country’s cultural infrastructure, attracting more than 25 million visitors a year and hugely contributing to the flourishing of Scotland’s art and culture sector,” says Hyslop.
“The Scottish government highly values the significant addition our museums make to the wider culture sector in Scotland. It is crucial that the museum sector participates in the discussion around the development of a wider culture strategy for Scotland, and actively contributes to the upcoming public sessions, sharing their key priorities and aspirations.”
Gillian Findlay, the curatorial and engagement manager at City of Edinburgh Council and a Museums Association (MA) board member, emphasises that Museums Galleries Scotland's (MGS) national strategy delivery plan for museums runs until 2019 and is working well. Its aims included maximising collections’ potential and inspiring greater public participation.
“The six key aims have been reviewed and tightened up and they are very usable for the sector, regardless of where you are in Scotland or the size of your museum,” says Findlay.
She adds that the culture and museum strategies need to be able to work together. “It’s over to us in the sector to make our voices heard as to how that might look,” says Findlay. “There’s no reason not to get involved.”
Duncan Dornan, the head of museums and collections at Glasgow Life, which delivers culture services for Glasgow City Council, says it is important to highlight the impact made by museums, in the consultation.
“The overarching principles of the consultation from Glasgow’s perspective speak well to our core objectives, so it’s a good opportunity,” he says. “And it is encouraging that the government is taking the time to review this in order to shape policy and perceptions of the museum sector.
“The museum sector makes a contribution on a wide number of fronts – in wealth and wellbeing, economic development and tourism – and it’s good to have an opportunity to express that overtly.”
Joanne Orr, the chief executive of MGS, says: “Museums are a key component of Scotland’s rich cultural scene, and MGS supports the development of a long-term strategy for cultural activity in Scotland. We are pleased to be involved in the consultation phase, and are confident that this new framework will recognise and build on the contribution of museums to the lives of individuals, families and communities across the country.”
The MA is among the organisations responding to the Scottish government’s culture strategy consultation.