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Ed Vaizey, the minister for culture, giving the afternoon keynote address to the Museums Association Conference and Exhibition 2010, told delegates that the hub system would be scrapped.

Renaissance funding had transformed museum services, he said, with major improvements in education services, engagement with local communities, and an increase in visitor services.

“The government wants to build on these achievements,” he said. “But your, our, challenge, is how we can do more with less.”

Setting out a new vision for Renaissance, he told Conference that national funding will still be used to unlock the potential of regional museums, but that there will be a move away from the hub network towards a system of funding for museums with outstanding collections and exceptional services.

There will also be a challenge fund, which will be accessible to all museums, and funding for museum development, accreditation, and designation.

The government will also back partnership working between museums and the wider cultural sector, through funding agreements. “We genuinely don’t know what [the settlement] is going to be,” he said, “But whatever the settlement is, we have to use the money as effectively as possible. The state cannot afford to subsidise those who cant help themselves.”

Vaizey held up independent museums as examples of successful entrepreneurial activity, noting that publicly-funded museums could learn from them.

In a question and answer session after his speech, the minister also touched on the importance of gift aid to museums, saying that around £50m a year in gift aid was going unclaimed. He called for gift aid to be simplified, but regretted it was not in his portfolio. However, he said, Treasury will be reviewing the system.

Responding to the speech, Mark Taylor, the MA's director, said: "I think everybody was a little disappointed that there was no definitive declaration on where MLA functions will go to.

"It is an open secret that discussions with Arts Council of England are in an advanced stage. We now have confirmation that core museums will replace hubs backed up with a challenge fund. Apart from the size of the funds available, there is so much more detail to be worked on - and quickly."

Reaction from the Conference floor

Nick Poole, Collections Trust

“I thought he was interesting but ultimately we need hard facts. A sense of direction and a sense of what museums could do beyond the cuts.”



Heather Prue, Caiston Arts

“He didn’t really say anything, but said it in a very charming way. “ 





Hadrian Ellory-Van Dekker, Science Museum

“I understand he was in a very difficult situation and can’t really tell us anything until after 20 October, but I think it lacked substance. I don’t believe the American model [of philanthropy] is the panacea. If that happens the money will go to larger organisations and won’t have an impact where it is needed.” 

Andrea Winn, Manchester Museum

“As we are funded by Renaissance, I gleaned a little bit of something positive but we’ll have to wait and see. At least he was talking positively about Renaissance and the desire to continue it in some form.” 



To read the minister's speech in full, please click here

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