Sharon Heal
Sharon Heal
Director, Museums Association
Disappointment over DCMS’ ‘paltry’ increase in funding for museums
Museums lost out to sport in the funding settlement announced by the Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) last month. Sport received an increase of 31 per cent, while culture as a whole got just 3.5 per cent, taking no account of inflation. The 22 national museums were awarded an uplift in revenue of …
Department for culture orders review of the MLA and its regional agencies
First they were museum-focused membership organisations, then strategic bodies covering museums, libraries and archives, and now they could become the regional offices of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA). The future of the nine English regional museum, library and archives councils is again under review – as is the future of the MLA, itself …
Charity hands out funds to improve regional exhibitions
The lack of exciting exhibitions outside of London has prompted a charitable foundation to give funding to regional museums and galleries.
Cloud lifted to make way for new museum
A new Museum of Liverpool is on the cards again after the North West Development Agency (NWDA) announced £2.5m funding last month.The funding will cover project development costs. Although the money must be matched by funding from Objective One of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), a seven-strong team from National Museums Liverpool is already …
Scottish Executive reshuffle ushers in new culture minister with wider remit
The Scottish culture minister, Frank McAveety, fell victim to a reshuffle of the Scottish Executive last month. McAveety was replaced by Patricia Ferguson who was the minister for parliamentary business. The change comes in the middle of the Cultural Commission’s consultation on the future of cultural provision in Scotland. Joanne Orr, the director of the …
Nationals sweep the board at the Art Newspaper AXA catalogue awards
National museums and galleries took the top prizes at the Art Newspaper Axa Insurance Exhibition Catalogue Award last month.
MLA ditches regional agencies
Three directors of engagement to play strategic role across new "super regions"