Nationals’ group expands
Decision to expand National Museum Directors' Conference is questioned
Questions have been raised about the decision by the National Museum Directors' Conference (NMDC) to appoint four new members.
The organisation, which represents the leaders of the UK's national collections, has expanded to include Rita McLean, head of museums and heritage services in Birmingham, Christopher Brown, director of the Ashmolean in Oxford, and Mark O'Neill, head of arts and museums at Culture and Sport Glasgow.
They join another recent recruit, Alec Coles, director of Tyne and Wear Museums, bringing the membership total to 31.
But an existing member of the NMDC has raised concerns about the move. David Fleming, director of National Museums Liverpool, said: "I have expressed scepticism to my NMDC colleagues about this change, though I accept the decision to broaden membership.
"There are marked differences between most national and regional museums, such as the make-up of audiences, funding and governance issues. So it may be harder in future for the NMDC to arrive at a consensus on some issues.
"Regional museums do not need NMDC membership to interact with NMDC members, and the NMDC committee structure provides for that dialogue already."
Mark Jones, NMDC chairman and director of the Victoria and Albert Museum, defended the decision to enlist new institutions. "The NMDC decided to invite several new members to join the group to improve our effectiveness and lend greater weight to our role as advocate for the sector.
"By including the directors of two excellent regional museums, a leading university museum and an outstanding Scottish institution, the NMDC will benefit from their extensive individual knowledge and experience."
The NMDC is adamant that there are no immediate plans for further expansion, which in freezes out museum bodies in cities such as Hull, Leeds, Sheffield and Manchester.
Nick Dodd, chief executive of Sheffield Galleries and Museums Trust, welcomed the "refreshing decision to widen NMDC membership".
But Virginia Tandy, director of Manchester City Galleries, expressed surprise at the development.
"As the NMDC has decided to expand its membership, in any review I would have expected the criteria for new members to be clear," she said. "The obvious qualification would be those in receipt of national funding, in which case the nine hub leads and the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester, which is funded directly by the DCMS like Tyne and Wear Museums, would be the new members."
The organisation, which represents the leaders of the UK's national collections, has expanded to include Rita McLean, head of museums and heritage services in Birmingham, Christopher Brown, director of the Ashmolean in Oxford, and Mark O'Neill, head of arts and museums at Culture and Sport Glasgow.
They join another recent recruit, Alec Coles, director of Tyne and Wear Museums, bringing the membership total to 31.
But an existing member of the NMDC has raised concerns about the move. David Fleming, director of National Museums Liverpool, said: "I have expressed scepticism to my NMDC colleagues about this change, though I accept the decision to broaden membership.
"There are marked differences between most national and regional museums, such as the make-up of audiences, funding and governance issues. So it may be harder in future for the NMDC to arrive at a consensus on some issues.
"Regional museums do not need NMDC membership to interact with NMDC members, and the NMDC committee structure provides for that dialogue already."
Mark Jones, NMDC chairman and director of the Victoria and Albert Museum, defended the decision to enlist new institutions. "The NMDC decided to invite several new members to join the group to improve our effectiveness and lend greater weight to our role as advocate for the sector.
"By including the directors of two excellent regional museums, a leading university museum and an outstanding Scottish institution, the NMDC will benefit from their extensive individual knowledge and experience."
The NMDC is adamant that there are no immediate plans for further expansion, which in freezes out museum bodies in cities such as Hull, Leeds, Sheffield and Manchester.
Nick Dodd, chief executive of Sheffield Galleries and Museums Trust, welcomed the "refreshing decision to widen NMDC membership".
But Virginia Tandy, director of Manchester City Galleries, expressed surprise at the development.
"As the NMDC has decided to expand its membership, in any review I would have expected the criteria for new members to be clear," she said. "The obvious qualification would be those in receipt of national funding, in which case the nine hub leads and the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester, which is funded directly by the DCMS like Tyne and Wear Museums, would be the new members."