Analysis

Welsh museums anxious over future of partnership work

Local authority funding cuts could make the costs associated with long-term loans and partnerships prohibitive

NMNI shake-up gathers pace

National Museums Northern Ireland continues restructure by cutting number of director posts from five to three

Firstsite boosts local value in bid to regain NPO status

New director has met community groups to help create a programme relevant to local people, as gallery seeks to alleviate Arts Council England’s concerns

Support for quality metrics

Cultural leaders deny that data about the perceived quality of an institution’s work might be open to manipulation

HLF urged to be more flexible and to take strategic approach

Government seeks evidence as to whether the HLF and National Heritage Memorial Fund are fit for purpose

A positive year for museums could be lull before the storm

The MA’s first Museums in the UK report reveals a complex picture of a dynamic sector that is struggling with funding cuts

NAM pledges its support for regimental museums

Revamped National Army Museum to host a conference for regimental museums to assess how it can best serve the cash-strapped institutions

Regional bodies key to local museum provision in Wales

Sector wants forthcoming strategy to follow through on panel’s recommendations and pull together the various reviews of museum provision in Wales

Museums hope for change from Accreditation review

Many in the sector are supportive of Accreditation, but feel that the nationally agreed standard for UK museums could be improved, particularly for smaller organisations. Geraldine Kendall Adams reports on the issues that a review of the scheme should look at

NTS unveils conservation plan

The National Trust for Scotland is to undertake a £1.3m initiative to catalogue and photograph 100,000 objects. Rob Sharp reports

Northern Ireland anxious that Brexit will hit peace-building

Loss of EU funding for peace-building initiatives at museums and arts venues could increase polarisation within society. By Rob Sharp

Hunt has hands full at V&A

The ex-MP becomes director as the museum develops new sites in east London, Scotland and China. Caroline Parry reports on the challenges Tristram Hunt is facing