A public consultation on a national strategy for Scotland’s museums was launched last month.
The consultation, which was opened at Museums Galleries Scotland’s (MGS) Collaborating to Compete conference in Edinburgh, invites views from Scottish museums and galleries on the national strategy’s direction.
The consultation ends on 16 November and MGS is committed to publishing a final strategy early next year.
After that MGS will become the national development body in charge of delivering the strategy. Chairwoman Fiona Ballantyne said the new body would be structured to take the strategy forward.
“We see it as a progression,” she said. “We have put the strategy out to consultation, we’ll get feedback, and once that has happened we’ll have a clear sense of the shape of the strategy. That’s a good point at which to see what a new body would look like.”
The new body will be an independent charity, not a non-departmental government body.
“We need to know by 1 April what we are going to do and how we are going to do it,” said Ballantyne. “We’re not setting up a totally new body, so there is continuity. It will use the MGS structure.”
The consultation document sets out the context, guiding principles and themes for the strategy.
Asked if she thought the consultation would lead to radical changes to objectives, Ballantyne said: “We hope that we have got the building blocks broadly right, but we are open-minded.”
It is thought likely that the new body will not be a membership organisation.
Joanne Orr, chief executive of MGS, said: “Our governance model needs to change. We have to modernise.” She added that the strategy would apply to all museums. “Everyone has got something to contribute to the delivery of the strategy.”
Consultation events will take place at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh, on 14 October, and Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow, on 2 November.
The Museums Association is asking its members to contribute to its response to the consultation. Click here for more details
The consultation, which was opened at Museums Galleries Scotland’s (MGS) Collaborating to Compete conference in Edinburgh, invites views from Scottish museums and galleries on the national strategy’s direction.
The consultation ends on 16 November and MGS is committed to publishing a final strategy early next year.
After that MGS will become the national development body in charge of delivering the strategy. Chairwoman Fiona Ballantyne said the new body would be structured to take the strategy forward.
“We see it as a progression,” she said. “We have put the strategy out to consultation, we’ll get feedback, and once that has happened we’ll have a clear sense of the shape of the strategy. That’s a good point at which to see what a new body would look like.”
The new body will be an independent charity, not a non-departmental government body.
“We need to know by 1 April what we are going to do and how we are going to do it,” said Ballantyne. “We’re not setting up a totally new body, so there is continuity. It will use the MGS structure.”
The consultation document sets out the context, guiding principles and themes for the strategy.
Asked if she thought the consultation would lead to radical changes to objectives, Ballantyne said: “We hope that we have got the building blocks broadly right, but we are open-minded.”
It is thought likely that the new body will not be a membership organisation.
Joanne Orr, chief executive of MGS, said: “Our governance model needs to change. We have to modernise.” She added that the strategy would apply to all museums. “Everyone has got something to contribute to the delivery of the strategy.”
Consultation events will take place at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh, on 14 October, and Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow, on 2 November.
The Museums Association is asking its members to contribute to its response to the consultation. Click here for more details