SCOTLAND'S local authorities have announced they are to set up their own culture review task group to parallel that of the Scottish Culture Commission. The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (Cosla) Task Group will include a review of current museum funding.
The Culture Commission, set up by the Scottish Executive and headed by James Boyle, has a remit to look at all branches of the arts, from drama to architecture, and make recommendations for promoting access, excellence and creativity. It is expected to publish its final report in June 2005.
Stephen Fitzpatrick, the policy manager of Cosla, told Museums Journal: 'Cosla will not be hamstrung by how things are currently done. We will approach this with an open mind and be looking at our aspirations.'
He said that the group will meet for the first time in September, and although he had nothing specific to say on museums yet, he stated: 'As one of the largest funders of museums in Scotland, we will be reviewing how things are currently done.
We are looking to strengthen local government's support of culture. We have a good relationship with James Boyle and the Culture Commission and we want to ensure the local government rationale is fed into the commission in a coherent way.'
The principal aim of the task group is to support and contribute to the work of the commission. But time is tight given that the interim report from the commission is due in October 2004 with the final report due in June 2005. The Cosla task group will report in May 2005 with no interim or preliminary report scheduled.
The task group will be comprised of both elected members and representatives of Vocal, the association for local authority arts and leisure managers in Scotland.
It is estimated that any impact on the museum sector of the Cosla Task Group review will be most keenly felt by independent mus-eums, many of which depend on increasingly precarious grants from local authorities to make up their budgets. The case of mus-eums such as Kilmartin House (Museums Journal August 2004, p28) demonstrates the need for revision of all the services mus-eums provide and their funding.
Councillor Graham Garvie, who will lead the Cosla Task Group, said: 'While Cosla does not have representation on the commission, the task group will ensure the closest possible cooperation between the commission and the professional input which Cosla will provide.'
The Culture Commission, set up by the Scottish Executive and headed by James Boyle, has a remit to look at all branches of the arts, from drama to architecture, and make recommendations for promoting access, excellence and creativity. It is expected to publish its final report in June 2005.
Stephen Fitzpatrick, the policy manager of Cosla, told Museums Journal: 'Cosla will not be hamstrung by how things are currently done. We will approach this with an open mind and be looking at our aspirations.'
He said that the group will meet for the first time in September, and although he had nothing specific to say on museums yet, he stated: 'As one of the largest funders of museums in Scotland, we will be reviewing how things are currently done.
We are looking to strengthen local government's support of culture. We have a good relationship with James Boyle and the Culture Commission and we want to ensure the local government rationale is fed into the commission in a coherent way.'
The principal aim of the task group is to support and contribute to the work of the commission. But time is tight given that the interim report from the commission is due in October 2004 with the final report due in June 2005. The Cosla task group will report in May 2005 with no interim or preliminary report scheduled.
The task group will be comprised of both elected members and representatives of Vocal, the association for local authority arts and leisure managers in Scotland.
It is estimated that any impact on the museum sector of the Cosla Task Group review will be most keenly felt by independent mus-eums, many of which depend on increasingly precarious grants from local authorities to make up their budgets. The case of mus-eums such as Kilmartin House (Museums Journal August 2004, p28) demonstrates the need for revision of all the services mus-eums provide and their funding.
Councillor Graham Garvie, who will lead the Cosla Task Group, said: 'While Cosla does not have representation on the commission, the task group will ensure the closest possible cooperation between the commission and the professional input which Cosla will provide.'
