In his first speech to the sector at the National Portrait Gallery (NPG) last month, James Purnell, the new secretary of state for culture, media and sport, called the UK's museums, galleries and historic buildings 'great civic spaces' and described the arts as being 'intrinsically valuable before they are instrumentally so'. However, he warned, he had 'no magic wand' for what promised to be a tough spending round.
Mark Taylor, the director of the Museums Association, said that the spending round would be Purnell's 'first big hurdle', adding that much credibility with the sector would flow from how the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) fares in it.
Across the sector, museum directors seemed enthusiastic about the appointment. The former director of the National Gallery, Charles Saumarez Smith, who takes over as chief executive of the Royal Academy of Arts next month, said: 'It is very encouraging that he chose to meet key people in the arts sector as his first public act. He has a long experience of arts and culture, working at the BBC, advising No 10 and working as a junior minister.'
Mark Jones, the chairman of the National Museum Directors' Conference (NMDC), said that the NMDC welcomed the appointment.
Alec Coles, the director of Tyne & Wear Museums, was enthusiastic about Purnell's 'impressive reputation', and said of his speech at the NPG: 'I applaud the focus on excellence, but wouldn't like anyone to think the issue of access has been solved. There is still a long way to go.'
Bill Ferris, the chairman of the Association of Independent Museums, said: 'His initial speech was very positive and seemed to recognise that grassroots matter, and nothing is more grassroots than the independent sector.'
Meanwhile, Margaret Hodge takes over from David Lammy as the minister of state for the DCMS and Hugo Swire has been replaced by Jeremy Hunt as shadow minister for culture, media and sport. Swire stood down after saying that museums should be allowed to charge for entry. Under pressure from the Conservative leader David Cameron, he retracted this argument, saying that Conservative policy was to maintain free admission.
John Tusa, the chairman of the Arts Taskforce, an arts thinktank set up by the Conservatives, said: 'Hugo Swire has confirmed that the Conservative policy is to maintain free admission to our national museums. This is the view of the new Arts Taskforce and something we will be underlining in our forthcoming report.'
Mark Taylor, the director of the Museums Association, said that the spending round would be Purnell's 'first big hurdle', adding that much credibility with the sector would flow from how the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) fares in it.
Across the sector, museum directors seemed enthusiastic about the appointment. The former director of the National Gallery, Charles Saumarez Smith, who takes over as chief executive of the Royal Academy of Arts next month, said: 'It is very encouraging that he chose to meet key people in the arts sector as his first public act. He has a long experience of arts and culture, working at the BBC, advising No 10 and working as a junior minister.'
Mark Jones, the chairman of the National Museum Directors' Conference (NMDC), said that the NMDC welcomed the appointment.
Alec Coles, the director of Tyne & Wear Museums, was enthusiastic about Purnell's 'impressive reputation', and said of his speech at the NPG: 'I applaud the focus on excellence, but wouldn't like anyone to think the issue of access has been solved. There is still a long way to go.'
Bill Ferris, the chairman of the Association of Independent Museums, said: 'His initial speech was very positive and seemed to recognise that grassroots matter, and nothing is more grassroots than the independent sector.'
Meanwhile, Margaret Hodge takes over from David Lammy as the minister of state for the DCMS and Hugo Swire has been replaced by Jeremy Hunt as shadow minister for culture, media and sport. Swire stood down after saying that museums should be allowed to charge for entry. Under pressure from the Conservative leader David Cameron, he retracted this argument, saying that Conservative policy was to maintain free admission.
John Tusa, the chairman of the Arts Taskforce, an arts thinktank set up by the Conservatives, said: 'Hugo Swire has confirmed that the Conservative policy is to maintain free admission to our national museums. This is the view of the new Arts Taskforce and something we will be underlining in our forthcoming report.'
