The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has announced that it will continue to directly fund two non-national museums – the Horniman Museum and Gardens and the Geffrye Museum in London – rather than pursue alternative sponsors.
In October 2010, the DCMS said it would relinquish responsibility for seven non-national museums after 2015. At the time it said it was “confident that despite the current economic climate alternative bodies will be keen to take on the sponsorship of these museums”.
However, since then only three of the seven organisations have successfully been transferred to new sponsors. The Science Museum Group took over responsibility for the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester and the funding stream National Coal Mining Museum for England last year, while DCMS funding for Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums transferred to Arts Council England (ACE) at the end of May.
In a statement, DCMS said that it had decided not to pursue alternative sponsorship for the Horniman and the Geffrye. It had previously been in talks about a possible transfer to ACE.
David Dewing, director of the Geffrye Museum, said: “‘The proposal to seek an alternative sponsor was initiated by DCMS and we were happy to cooperate in the search. No suitable alternative could be found and so there is no change, which is fine with us. We are pleased the matter is now settled for the foreseeable future.”
It is not clear what level of funding the DMCS-sponsored non-national museums can hope to receive after the current spending period ends.
DCMS originally said that responsibility for funding would belong to the new funders after 2014/15, but later added that it would not leave any non-national “adrift without support”.
Referring to funding for the Horniman and the Geffrye, a spokeswoman for DCMS told Musuems Journal: “We are fully committed to building on the success of both museums and ensuring their future success. Any future decisions will be made at the next spending review.”
Elsewhere, the People’s History Museum in Manchester and the Design Museum in London have still to find alternative sponsors.
Katy Archer, director of the People’s History Museum, said: “We have had conversations with a number of bodies over the past two years but none of them have been in a position to financially support the museum or to act as a sponsor.”
She added that it is still in talks with DCMS about finding an alternative sponsor and is also exploring ways to generate income once the current funding agreement comes to an end.
A DCMS spokeswoman confirmed that it has a funding arrangement with the Design Museum up until the end of this spending review period.
In October 2010, the DCMS said it would relinquish responsibility for seven non-national museums after 2015. At the time it said it was “confident that despite the current economic climate alternative bodies will be keen to take on the sponsorship of these museums”.
However, since then only three of the seven organisations have successfully been transferred to new sponsors. The Science Museum Group took over responsibility for the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester and the funding stream National Coal Mining Museum for England last year, while DCMS funding for Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums transferred to Arts Council England (ACE) at the end of May.
In a statement, DCMS said that it had decided not to pursue alternative sponsorship for the Horniman and the Geffrye. It had previously been in talks about a possible transfer to ACE.
David Dewing, director of the Geffrye Museum, said: “‘The proposal to seek an alternative sponsor was initiated by DCMS and we were happy to cooperate in the search. No suitable alternative could be found and so there is no change, which is fine with us. We are pleased the matter is now settled for the foreseeable future.”
It is not clear what level of funding the DMCS-sponsored non-national museums can hope to receive after the current spending period ends.
DCMS originally said that responsibility for funding would belong to the new funders after 2014/15, but later added that it would not leave any non-national “adrift without support”.
Referring to funding for the Horniman and the Geffrye, a spokeswoman for DCMS told Musuems Journal: “We are fully committed to building on the success of both museums and ensuring their future success. Any future decisions will be made at the next spending review.”
Elsewhere, the People’s History Museum in Manchester and the Design Museum in London have still to find alternative sponsors.
Katy Archer, director of the People’s History Museum, said: “We have had conversations with a number of bodies over the past two years but none of them have been in a position to financially support the museum or to act as a sponsor.”
She added that it is still in talks with DCMS about finding an alternative sponsor and is also exploring ways to generate income once the current funding agreement comes to an end.
A DCMS spokeswoman confirmed that it has a funding arrangement with the Design Museum up until the end of this spending review period.
