Analysis

SSNs find safety in numbers

Twenty-two Subject Specialist Networks team up to boost collaboration and knowledge sharing, while they await a new strategy from Arts Council England.

It’s time we took industrial action

A report into the industrial heritage sector reveals funding problems and a skills deficit, and urges more collaboration and greater inclusivity. Geraldine Kendall Adams reports

Council decides to reopen three Lancashire museums

Two years after five museums were closed to save cash, a study reveals that reopening three of them with reduced hours is the most cost-effective option

Cultural organisations act to support Windrush generation

Plans for a national Windrush Day announced but many still concerned about how immigration is represented. By Rob Sharp

Sector awaits Arts Council England’s ongoing review of Accreditation scheme

Arts council needs to overcome entrenched negativity, as it seeks to make national standards scheme more streamlined, efficient and user-friendly. Rob Sharp reports

Museum thefts back in news

Institutions with collections of east Asian art told to review security arrangements following theft from Bath museum. By Rob Sharp

Return of colonial-era artefacts to become more pressing issue

As more claims for repatriation come in, interest is growing among ethnographic museums in decolonising their displays. By Rob Sharp

Arts in Northern Ireland suffer 4.7% loss in funding

Tough times ahead as decrease in Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s Annual Funding Programme leads to seven organisations losing their support. Caroline Parry reports

The age-old issue of how to engage with elderly people

Museums need to quash any preconceptions that older people are primarily interested in the past and stop focusing solely on health and wellbeing when engaging with them. Geraldine Kendall Adams assesses some alternative approaches to the subject of ageing

‘Be part of the bigger picture’

Programmes by museums and galleries to engage young people are more effective if they involve building relationships outside the cultural sector. Caroline Parry reports

Budget cuts continue to bite

Local authority funding for cultural services still under pressure as councils face heavy demands on social services. By Rob Sharp

‘No pay gap complacency’

All organisations in the arts and heritage sector report a lower gender pay gap than the national average, but there is still plenty of work to be done. Caroline Parry reports