The Scottish Museums Federation has questioned the subscription model for Museums Galleries Scotland, as it prepares to become the national development body for museums and galleries.
The federation’s president, Tamsin Russell, said: “The national development body should provide a service to everyone. Why should museums have to pay subscriptions when broader culture, under Creative Scotland, doesn’t? If museums are valued by the Scottish government, then it should provide the funding.”
Several museums have yet to pay their subscriptions, despite Museums Galleries Scotland offering a 10% discount for 2012-13.
One director said their museum would not be paying at all: “Museums Galleries Scotland has stated that museums will not have to pay subscriptions in order to access grants, so we are not sure what we should be paying for.”
Others questioned what one director described as a “lack of clarity over what we will get for our money”.
Last month, Museums Galleries Scotland held six meetings around Scotland, which were attended by a total of 126 attendees from 87 organisations.
At the meetings, the organisation consulted on the delivery of the national strategy and the services that Museums Galleries Scotland might offer.
The body is encouraging museums to complete a delivery plan questionnaire. This will lead to an initial delivery plan being published in November, followed by a two-year plan in April 2013, to coincide with it becoming the national delivery body.
One museum director said they were pleased with the attendance and openness of discussion at the meetings, and that Museums Galleries Scotland was in “listening mode”.
But the director added: “We still don’t have a feeling that we’re getting a direction. The questionnaire is a hefty document and doesn’t reveal an organisation with a clear vision. I am worried that in the absence of vision, we will have bureaucracy.”
A spokeswoman for Museums Galleries Scotland urged any museum with concerns to get in touch.
As part of the transition process, Museums Galleries Scotland is to appoint a new chair in November, and several new board members in February 2013.
National Museums Scotland has announced that it will not be paying a subscription fee to the development body.
Director Gordon Rintoul said: “NMS was not a member of MGS when it was a membership body and therefore did not pay a subscription. We have no plans to pay a subscription to the new development body should such a system be introduced.”
Click here to respond to the delivery plan questionnaire
The federation’s president, Tamsin Russell, said: “The national development body should provide a service to everyone. Why should museums have to pay subscriptions when broader culture, under Creative Scotland, doesn’t? If museums are valued by the Scottish government, then it should provide the funding.”
Several museums have yet to pay their subscriptions, despite Museums Galleries Scotland offering a 10% discount for 2012-13.
One director said their museum would not be paying at all: “Museums Galleries Scotland has stated that museums will not have to pay subscriptions in order to access grants, so we are not sure what we should be paying for.”
Others questioned what one director described as a “lack of clarity over what we will get for our money”.
Last month, Museums Galleries Scotland held six meetings around Scotland, which were attended by a total of 126 attendees from 87 organisations.
At the meetings, the organisation consulted on the delivery of the national strategy and the services that Museums Galleries Scotland might offer.
The body is encouraging museums to complete a delivery plan questionnaire. This will lead to an initial delivery plan being published in November, followed by a two-year plan in April 2013, to coincide with it becoming the national delivery body.
One museum director said they were pleased with the attendance and openness of discussion at the meetings, and that Museums Galleries Scotland was in “listening mode”.
But the director added: “We still don’t have a feeling that we’re getting a direction. The questionnaire is a hefty document and doesn’t reveal an organisation with a clear vision. I am worried that in the absence of vision, we will have bureaucracy.”
A spokeswoman for Museums Galleries Scotland urged any museum with concerns to get in touch.
As part of the transition process, Museums Galleries Scotland is to appoint a new chair in November, and several new board members in February 2013.
National Museums Scotland has announced that it will not be paying a subscription fee to the development body.
Director Gordon Rintoul said: “NMS was not a member of MGS when it was a membership body and therefore did not pay a subscription. We have no plans to pay a subscription to the new development body should such a system be introduced.”
Click here to respond to the delivery plan questionnaire
