Scottish museums and galleries have expressed support for the sector’s new national strategy, which was launched by the culture secretary Fiona Hyslop at the end of March.
The Going Further strategy document outlines six key objectives: maximising the potential of collections and culture; forging a sustainable future; empowering a diverse workforce; strengthening connections between museums, people and places; fostering a culture of collaboration; and developing a global perspective.
Frank Little, museums manager at City of Edinburgh Council, said: “The shift in emphasis towards enterprise, entrepreneurship, partnership and shared service is an exciting development.”
Tamsin Russell, president of the Scottish Museums Federation, said: “I am encouraged that a lot of the feedback that was presented to Museums Galleries Scotland (MGS) has been integrated. They’ve listened to the sector.”
There will be £3.3m in grant funding available to the sector over the next three years through MGS in its new role as national development body for delivering the strategy. But concerns have been raised about whether this will be enough to fully implement the document’s key objectives.
Jane Carmichael, head of collections at National Museums Scotland, said the strategy document was a “good starting point” but added: “There are further issues around the delivery – money being the main one.”
Russell said: “Some of the aspirations might well be a tall order for nationals, not to mind smaller museums.”
She added that she was also concerned about the model for the national development body, which will involve MGS switching from a membership organisation into a subscription body, maintaining an annual fee for its services.
Subscriptions will be discounted by 10% during the first year of transition.
“Surely the national development body and the support it offers should be open to all museums and other stakeholders, like federations – it’s not really a national strategy otherwise,” said Russell. “Half of organisations might not subscribe.”
The Going Further strategy document outlines six key objectives: maximising the potential of collections and culture; forging a sustainable future; empowering a diverse workforce; strengthening connections between museums, people and places; fostering a culture of collaboration; and developing a global perspective.
Frank Little, museums manager at City of Edinburgh Council, said: “The shift in emphasis towards enterprise, entrepreneurship, partnership and shared service is an exciting development.”
Tamsin Russell, president of the Scottish Museums Federation, said: “I am encouraged that a lot of the feedback that was presented to Museums Galleries Scotland (MGS) has been integrated. They’ve listened to the sector.”
There will be £3.3m in grant funding available to the sector over the next three years through MGS in its new role as national development body for delivering the strategy. But concerns have been raised about whether this will be enough to fully implement the document’s key objectives.
Jane Carmichael, head of collections at National Museums Scotland, said the strategy document was a “good starting point” but added: “There are further issues around the delivery – money being the main one.”
Russell said: “Some of the aspirations might well be a tall order for nationals, not to mind smaller museums.”
She added that she was also concerned about the model for the national development body, which will involve MGS switching from a membership organisation into a subscription body, maintaining an annual fee for its services.
Subscriptions will be discounted by 10% during the first year of transition.
“Surely the national development body and the support it offers should be open to all museums and other stakeholders, like federations – it’s not really a national strategy otherwise,” said Russell. “Half of organisations might not subscribe.”
