MA welcomes discussion with DCMS team
Geraldine Kendall, 26.05.2010
MA president Stuart Davies writes to incoming ministers Jeremy Hunt and Ed Vaizey
The MA’s president Stuart Davies has written to culture secretary Jeremy Hunt and arts minister Ed Vaizey to request a discussion on future policy for the museum sector.
In the correspondence, Davies congratulated both ministers on their new roles and outlined several pressing issues he wished to raise with the coalition-led team.
Davies stressed the importance of maintaining the Renaissance in the Regions programme of funding. He said: “This has helped and continues to help regional museums and galleries throughout England deliver excellence into every corner of the land.”
Davies also emphasised the need to retain the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) or a similar body, “whose principal role is to oversee museums”.
He said: “Anything but [that] would undermine the great strides museums have made in the last ten years and their remarkable, growing popularity.”
Davies added that, if the new government was looking at the roles and functions of its various agencies, then the MA and its members would welcome a review of MLA’s effectiveness and efficiency.
He went on to underline the achievements of the free admissions policy, saying it “has had measurable benefits in terms of making our national institutions accessible”.
Davies also called for all programmes impacting on museums to recognise the regional distribution of heritage collections and the need to resolve outstanding issues around university museum funding.
Jeremy Hunt announced on Monday that DCMS would face funding cuts of £88m this year. He said: “I have asked our bodies to make these savings while protecting frontline services wherever possible.”
What would you discuss with the new ministerial team? Share your thoughts in our comment box below.
(Image: Jeremy Hunt giving his first keynote speech. Copyright DCMS)
In the correspondence, Davies congratulated both ministers on their new roles and outlined several pressing issues he wished to raise with the coalition-led team.
Davies stressed the importance of maintaining the Renaissance in the Regions programme of funding. He said: “This has helped and continues to help regional museums and galleries throughout England deliver excellence into every corner of the land.”
Davies also emphasised the need to retain the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) or a similar body, “whose principal role is to oversee museums”.
He said: “Anything but [that] would undermine the great strides museums have made in the last ten years and their remarkable, growing popularity.”
Davies added that, if the new government was looking at the roles and functions of its various agencies, then the MA and its members would welcome a review of MLA’s effectiveness and efficiency.
He went on to underline the achievements of the free admissions policy, saying it “has had measurable benefits in terms of making our national institutions accessible”.
Davies also called for all programmes impacting on museums to recognise the regional distribution of heritage collections and the need to resolve outstanding issues around university museum funding.
Jeremy Hunt announced on Monday that DCMS would face funding cuts of £88m this year. He said: “I have asked our bodies to make these savings while protecting frontline services wherever possible.”
What would you discuss with the new ministerial team? Share your thoughts in our comment box below.
(Image: Jeremy Hunt giving his first keynote speech. Copyright DCMS)
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