Call for Effective Collections special project applications
Geraldine Kendall, 04.08.2010
Deadline approaching for MA's £25,000 grant scheme
The MA is urging museums that wish to improve use of their stored collections to apply to the Special Project Fund before the September deadline.
The fund, which offers grants of up to £25,000, is looking for ambitious collections projects that show potential to become exemplars in the sector.
Sought-after criteria include: demonstrable public outcomes - particularly disposal or sharing through long loans; impact on the museum itself; sustainability and legacy in the long-term; and value for money.
So far, two very different projects have been awarded grants. Launched in June, Old Tools, New Uses is an innovative scheme created by the Scottish Transport and Industry Collections and Knowledge network (STICK).
The project allows Scottish museums to bring items from their tool and domestic technology collections to a series of workshops where they will be assessed by an independent advisor. Unwanted items may then be donated to artisan communities in Africa.
Oxfordshire Museums Service won for its History Cube scheme, which focuses on the relevance of stored collections to local communities.
The project encourages different groups to curate collections relevant to their areas of special interest – creating a self-sustaining body of knowledge and resources in the local area.
Effective Collections Project Assistant Vicky Kinahan said: “STICK's innovative ambition to co-ordinate the networks and collections resources across Scotland for tangible outputs, and the History Cube's commitment to the creation of an adaptable model, both stood out.
“Having seen their strengths, we are keen to fund more Special projects in the remaining two rounds of Effective Collections. If you would like to have an informal chat about a prospective application, please contact the Effective Collections team.”
The deadline for Special Project Fund applications is Friday 3 September.
IMAGE: Scottish minister for culture and external affairs Fiona Hyslop MSP (second from left) attends the launch of Old Tools, New Uses in June. Copyright: Shaun Bell, NMS
The fund, which offers grants of up to £25,000, is looking for ambitious collections projects that show potential to become exemplars in the sector.
Sought-after criteria include: demonstrable public outcomes - particularly disposal or sharing through long loans; impact on the museum itself; sustainability and legacy in the long-term; and value for money.
So far, two very different projects have been awarded grants. Launched in June, Old Tools, New Uses is an innovative scheme created by the Scottish Transport and Industry Collections and Knowledge network (STICK).
The project allows Scottish museums to bring items from their tool and domestic technology collections to a series of workshops where they will be assessed by an independent advisor. Unwanted items may then be donated to artisan communities in Africa.
Oxfordshire Museums Service won for its History Cube scheme, which focuses on the relevance of stored collections to local communities.
The project encourages different groups to curate collections relevant to their areas of special interest – creating a self-sustaining body of knowledge and resources in the local area.
Effective Collections Project Assistant Vicky Kinahan said: “STICK's innovative ambition to co-ordinate the networks and collections resources across Scotland for tangible outputs, and the History Cube's commitment to the creation of an adaptable model, both stood out.
“Having seen their strengths, we are keen to fund more Special projects in the remaining two rounds of Effective Collections. If you would like to have an informal chat about a prospective application, please contact the Effective Collections team.”
The deadline for Special Project Fund applications is Friday 3 September.
IMAGE: Scottish minister for culture and external affairs Fiona Hyslop MSP (second from left) attends the launch of Old Tools, New Uses in June. Copyright: Shaun Bell, NMS
