University museums escape cuts
Funding increase for university museums
The Higher Education Funding Council for England (Hefce) announced a small increase in funding for university museums and galleries on 1 February.
University museum directors, who had feared a cut, welcomed the increase from £10.5m in 2009-10 to £10.6m in 2010-11.
“The announcement of the allocation of £10.6m for university museums is as good a result as we could expect, given overall cuts in public funding,” Manchester Museum director Nick Merriman said. “However, the funding is only for one year and we will have to wait for the formation of a new government before we see the long term-picture.
“We anticipate that there will be some slight shifts in the allocations to specific museums this year, which will be announced by Hefce towards the end of April,” Merriman continued. “But overall, most university museums can look forward to another year of relatively stable funding. Future years may be more difficult, however.”
Hefce is also carrying out a review into the way museums are funded, which will be published in April.
A Hefce statement said: “The review, led by Sir Muir Russell, aims to ensure that future allocations of special funding for university museums, galleries and collections are based on clear principles, consistent with Hefce’s role and strategy.
"The review has asked for a written submission from each individual museum or gallery that wished to be considered for future funding. The outcomes of the review and the allocations for individual galleries and collections will be announced in the spring.”
Related article (external website)
www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2010/jan/23/funding-crisis-university-museums
University museum directors, who had feared a cut, welcomed the increase from £10.5m in 2009-10 to £10.6m in 2010-11.
“The announcement of the allocation of £10.6m for university museums is as good a result as we could expect, given overall cuts in public funding,” Manchester Museum director Nick Merriman said. “However, the funding is only for one year and we will have to wait for the formation of a new government before we see the long term-picture.
“We anticipate that there will be some slight shifts in the allocations to specific museums this year, which will be announced by Hefce towards the end of April,” Merriman continued. “But overall, most university museums can look forward to another year of relatively stable funding. Future years may be more difficult, however.”
Hefce is also carrying out a review into the way museums are funded, which will be published in April.
A Hefce statement said: “The review, led by Sir Muir Russell, aims to ensure that future allocations of special funding for university museums, galleries and collections are based on clear principles, consistent with Hefce’s role and strategy.
"The review has asked for a written submission from each individual museum or gallery that wished to be considered for future funding. The outcomes of the review and the allocations for individual galleries and collections will be announced in the spring.”
Related article (external website)
www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2010/jan/23/funding-crisis-university-museums