As Museums Galleries Scotland (MGS) becomes the national development body for Scottish museums and galleries this month, its board has announced it will be dropping subscription fees.
In an email to members, chairman Douglas Connell wrote: “At its meeting on 26 March, the board decided that the financial year 2013-14 would be the final year in which subscriptions will apply.
“Subscription levels for the 2013-14 financial year will remain at the current level, and further details will be supplied in due course. Meanwhile, charging for services will be reviewed.”
Museums Journal understands the board decided subscriptions were not compatible with MGS’s new status. But it was decided that subscriptions should be retained for the national development body’s first year because budgets had already been set for 2013-14, and the organisation needed time to consider ways in which to meet the shortfall from the loss of subscription revenue.
MGS generates more than £50,000 from subscription fees. The organisation is in talks with the Scottish government over the funding shortfall, and is considering a transparent model of charges for specific services.
The subscription model had proved controversial, and several museums, including National Museums Scotland, had declared that they would not pay.
Gordon Rintoul, National Museums Scotland’s director, said: “We welcome this new approach, which will encourage museums to collaborate and develop their capacity in order to implement the national strategy.”
Rowan Brown, director of the Scottish Mining Museum and a Museums Association board member, said: “It is a really positive sign, demonstrating that the new MGS board is listening to the sector and acting swiftly on the feedback.”
In an email to members, chairman Douglas Connell wrote: “At its meeting on 26 March, the board decided that the financial year 2013-14 would be the final year in which subscriptions will apply.
“Subscription levels for the 2013-14 financial year will remain at the current level, and further details will be supplied in due course. Meanwhile, charging for services will be reviewed.”
Museums Journal understands the board decided subscriptions were not compatible with MGS’s new status. But it was decided that subscriptions should be retained for the national development body’s first year because budgets had already been set for 2013-14, and the organisation needed time to consider ways in which to meet the shortfall from the loss of subscription revenue.
MGS generates more than £50,000 from subscription fees. The organisation is in talks with the Scottish government over the funding shortfall, and is considering a transparent model of charges for specific services.
The subscription model had proved controversial, and several museums, including National Museums Scotland, had declared that they would not pay.
Gordon Rintoul, National Museums Scotland’s director, said: “We welcome this new approach, which will encourage museums to collaborate and develop their capacity in order to implement the national strategy.”
Rowan Brown, director of the Scottish Mining Museum and a Museums Association board member, said: “It is a really positive sign, demonstrating that the new MGS board is listening to the sector and acting swiftly on the feedback.”
