Subject Specialist Networks (SSN) are creating a “network of networks” to increase collaboration, aid skills and knowledge sharing, and boost the support they can offer the wider sector.
A group, comprised of 22 SSNs, drew up draft terms of reference at a meeting held at London’s Foundling Museum earlier in the year. These are due to be agreed at a meeting on 4 July.
According to Gail Boyle, the chair of the Society for Museum Archaeology, funding cuts, closures and redundancies have highlighted the vital importance of SSNs, and the need for closer collaboration to help support the sector.
“We have a louder voice if we speak together,” says Boyle, who is senior curator – archaeology at Bristol Culture. “With dwindling funding, resources and time, we wanted to look at how we could do things better together, and network better ourselves.”
While Arts Council England (ACE) convened a meeting in March last year to help SSNs look at ways in which to collaborate, identify challenges and share best practice, the groups decided to push ahead with their own plans without waiting for a new ACE strategy or confirmed funding.
“The strategic direction of SSNs is not part of ACE’s remit,” says Justine Reilly, the director of the Sporting Heritage SSN and a freelance museum consultant. “The skills drain means SSNs play a valuable role in the sector, but no one is responsible for that.”
Going it alone
“With the ACE funding coming to an end in March, and without knowing any further funding would be available, we came to the conclusion that we had to do it ourselves.”
The network has already signed up to JiscMail to help share information and knowledge, and it has also created a website drawing together details of 34 SSNs and offering a calendar of events and a newsletter.
The group took a shared stand at the Museums Association Conference & Exhibition in Manchester last year. And three SSNs – British Art Network, Understanding British Portraits and European Painting Pre-1900 Network – collaborated on a two-day conference earlier this year.
ACE has announced that it will offer new funding to SSNs, which will support activity from January 2019 to mid-2020. The amount of funding has yet to be unveiled, although it will be ringfenced.
SSNs were critical of the previous round of ACE funding because minimum grants were set at £30,000, which was not considered appropriate for the needs of many SSNs.
An ACE spokesperson says grants are expected to be in the region of £10,000 to £80,000. ACE is reviewing its longer-term support for SSNs over the next two years.
Funding is key
For Reilly, core funding is key to SSNs thriving and remaining sustainable over the long term. “If you are trying to put together a strategic plan, it is tricky if you don’t know whether you can pay the bills,” she says.
Reilly adds that SSNs also need help, support and advice with business development skills, such as how to handle their finances. Sporting Heritage received Heritage Lottery Fund Resilience Funding to help with developing these skills.
“People involved in SSNs need to run them well, and they need core funding to do that,” Reilly says.
Employer support for staff participating in SSNs is also key, says Boyle. At Bristol Culture, engaging with SSNs is written into its ACE business plan, but this is not the case in every organisation.
“Allow people to take time to be involved, and understand that it is a good thing,” Boyle says. “People are sometimes told they can’t get involved or aren’t allowed to attend conferences because of time and cost restraints.”
Individually, the SSNs are all very different, admits Reilly. Their objective is the same, however: to create better-looked-after collections with improved access for all.
A group, comprised of 22 SSNs, drew up draft terms of reference at a meeting held at London’s Foundling Museum earlier in the year. These are due to be agreed at a meeting on 4 July.
According to Gail Boyle, the chair of the Society for Museum Archaeology, funding cuts, closures and redundancies have highlighted the vital importance of SSNs, and the need for closer collaboration to help support the sector.
“We have a louder voice if we speak together,” says Boyle, who is senior curator – archaeology at Bristol Culture. “With dwindling funding, resources and time, we wanted to look at how we could do things better together, and network better ourselves.”
While Arts Council England (ACE) convened a meeting in March last year to help SSNs look at ways in which to collaborate, identify challenges and share best practice, the groups decided to push ahead with their own plans without waiting for a new ACE strategy or confirmed funding.
“The strategic direction of SSNs is not part of ACE’s remit,” says Justine Reilly, the director of the Sporting Heritage SSN and a freelance museum consultant. “The skills drain means SSNs play a valuable role in the sector, but no one is responsible for that.”
Going it alone
“With the ACE funding coming to an end in March, and without knowing any further funding would be available, we came to the conclusion that we had to do it ourselves.”
The network has already signed up to JiscMail to help share information and knowledge, and it has also created a website drawing together details of 34 SSNs and offering a calendar of events and a newsletter.
The group took a shared stand at the Museums Association Conference & Exhibition in Manchester last year. And three SSNs – British Art Network, Understanding British Portraits and European Painting Pre-1900 Network – collaborated on a two-day conference earlier this year.
ACE has announced that it will offer new funding to SSNs, which will support activity from January 2019 to mid-2020. The amount of funding has yet to be unveiled, although it will be ringfenced.
SSNs were critical of the previous round of ACE funding because minimum grants were set at £30,000, which was not considered appropriate for the needs of many SSNs.
An ACE spokesperson says grants are expected to be in the region of £10,000 to £80,000. ACE is reviewing its longer-term support for SSNs over the next two years.
Funding is key
For Reilly, core funding is key to SSNs thriving and remaining sustainable over the long term. “If you are trying to put together a strategic plan, it is tricky if you don’t know whether you can pay the bills,” she says.
Reilly adds that SSNs also need help, support and advice with business development skills, such as how to handle their finances. Sporting Heritage received Heritage Lottery Fund Resilience Funding to help with developing these skills.
“People involved in SSNs need to run them well, and they need core funding to do that,” Reilly says.
Employer support for staff participating in SSNs is also key, says Boyle. At Bristol Culture, engaging with SSNs is written into its ACE business plan, but this is not the case in every organisation.
“Allow people to take time to be involved, and understand that it is a good thing,” Boyle says. “People are sometimes told they can’t get involved or aren’t allowed to attend conferences because of time and cost restraints.”
Individually, the SSNs are all very different, admits Reilly. Their objective is the same, however: to create better-looked-after collections with improved access for all.
She adds: “If we can be that bigger organisation providing specialist knowledge and skills, that could be really powerful.”