Council funding hit by recession
Regional museums at threat as three-quarters of councils are forced to revise their budgets
Regional museums across the country are facing cutbacks and even closure as local authorities impose spending squeezes as a result of the global economic downturn.
Scottish councils are set to slash funding following the Scottish government's call for savings of £500m in 2010-11.
Midlothian council, which has a £5m budget deficit, is axing its annual £106,000 grant to the Scottish Mining Museum in Newtongrange. The independent museum will receive £27,000 from the local authority for the first quarter of 2009-10, before funding ceases in June.
"The council has stated that it believes we are a national museum and should be funded by the national government," said museum director Fergus Waters. "We are talking to the government and other stakeholders about possible solutions."
Fife council, which has reportedly forecast cuts of at least £38m for 2009-11, declined to say how this would affect its 10 museums.
Meanwhile, Torbay council's plans to axe grant aid for Brixham Heritage Museum from September could force the institution to close its doors, warned curator Philip Armitage.
Half of the institution's running costs are met by the council grant, with the remainder coming from visitor charges. The museum's council grant for 2008-09 was £11,000.
A council scrutiny committee was set to consider the proposal as Museums Journal went to press.
A museum spokesman said: "Brixham Heritage Museum would need to make its part-time curator redundant, removing its ability to care for its collections and archives... all of which would lead to the museum having the dubious distinction of being the first museum in south-west England to lose, through no fault of its own, museum accreditation status."
Founded 50 years ago, the museum's collection comprises artefacts related to the town's social and industrial history.
Another casualty of the credit crunch is Priest's House Museum in Wimborne Minster, Dorset. Museums Journal understands that East Dorset District Council pledged capital funds of £500,000 for the independent museum last year, but has since decided to allocate the money elsewhere.
New research published by the Local Government Association (LGA) has revealed that 73 per cent of councils across England had to revise their budget position last year in light of the recession, prompting fears that cultural services will suffer.
"A key concern yet again is that most culture and sport is discretionary and therefore at more risk than mandatory services," said David Albutt, policy officer at CLOA, the association for leaders involved in public sector cultural and leisure services.
The LGA survey was sent to all 388 chief executives of local authorities in England, and achieved a response rate of almost 40 per cent.
Scottish councils are set to slash funding following the Scottish government's call for savings of £500m in 2010-11.
Midlothian council, which has a £5m budget deficit, is axing its annual £106,000 grant to the Scottish Mining Museum in Newtongrange. The independent museum will receive £27,000 from the local authority for the first quarter of 2009-10, before funding ceases in June.
"The council has stated that it believes we are a national museum and should be funded by the national government," said museum director Fergus Waters. "We are talking to the government and other stakeholders about possible solutions."
Fife council, which has reportedly forecast cuts of at least £38m for 2009-11, declined to say how this would affect its 10 museums.
Meanwhile, Torbay council's plans to axe grant aid for Brixham Heritage Museum from September could force the institution to close its doors, warned curator Philip Armitage.
Half of the institution's running costs are met by the council grant, with the remainder coming from visitor charges. The museum's council grant for 2008-09 was £11,000.
A council scrutiny committee was set to consider the proposal as Museums Journal went to press.
A museum spokesman said: "Brixham Heritage Museum would need to make its part-time curator redundant, removing its ability to care for its collections and archives... all of which would lead to the museum having the dubious distinction of being the first museum in south-west England to lose, through no fault of its own, museum accreditation status."
Founded 50 years ago, the museum's collection comprises artefacts related to the town's social and industrial history.
Another casualty of the credit crunch is Priest's House Museum in Wimborne Minster, Dorset. Museums Journal understands that East Dorset District Council pledged capital funds of £500,000 for the independent museum last year, but has since decided to allocate the money elsewhere.
New research published by the Local Government Association (LGA) has revealed that 73 per cent of councils across England had to revise their budget position last year in light of the recession, prompting fears that cultural services will suffer.
"A key concern yet again is that most culture and sport is discretionary and therefore at more risk than mandatory services," said David Albutt, policy officer at CLOA, the association for leaders involved in public sector cultural and leisure services.
The LGA survey was sent to all 388 chief executives of local authorities in England, and achieved a response rate of almost 40 per cent.
Will the museum sector suffer if local authorities are forced to cut back?
Bill Ferris, chairman, Association of Independent Museums
"Although a limited number of independent museums that receive direct assistance will be affected, it is the impact on local authority discretionary budgets such as tourism and marketing that could have greater impact."
Vanessa Trevelyan, head, Norfolk Museums and Archaeology Service
"Museums are a discretionary service, so will be foremost in the firing line. Cultural departments and museums will have to think about efficiencies. It will be a hard time."
Sam Mullins, director, London Transport Museum
"This LGA report suggests hard times ahead as local authority support joins lottery grants, corporate revenue, and retail spend in a cocktail of financial challenges to museums."
Bill Ferris, chairman, Association of Independent Museums
"Although a limited number of independent museums that receive direct assistance will be affected, it is the impact on local authority discretionary budgets such as tourism and marketing that could have greater impact."
Vanessa Trevelyan, head, Norfolk Museums and Archaeology Service
"Museums are a discretionary service, so will be foremost in the firing line. Cultural departments and museums will have to think about efficiencies. It will be a hard time."
Sam Mullins, director, London Transport Museum
"This LGA report suggests hard times ahead as local authority support joins lottery grants, corporate revenue, and retail spend in a cocktail of financial challenges to museums."