The prospect of another year of public sector spending cuts and the potential upheaval of a change of government is enough to make even the most enthusiastic of us want to wave the white flag. But don’t despair just yet, as it looks as if the advocacy cavalry are about to gallop over the horizon.
Last month, the National Museum Directors’ Conference published its advocacy document, Museums Deliver, while the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council announced that it was developing its advocacy strategy for Renaissance under the leadership of Alec Coles, the head of Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums (see link below.)
The intention of both is to highlight the work that museums do, as well as stressing the benefits of government investment in museums. This is all well and good if you’re a national museum or a large regional museum that is part of a hub, but what about museums that don’t fall into these categories?
The answer might be the Museums Association’s Love Museums campaign, which launches next month. Cheesy title aside, the idea, which is to help museums state their own case, is a good one.
The aim is to provide a little self-help for museums, and to share best practice through workshops and other networks. So those good at blowing their own trumpet will be able to share tips with those that are more reticent.
The other objective is to provide chunks of easily digestible data that supports the case for museums. No matter how many lengthy reports and investigations have been published, it is still difficult to pin down the hard facts of what museums are worth to society; an unpicking of these figures would certainly be welcome.
The irony is that since the recession started, it couldn’t be more obvious that people seek cultural solace in times of hardship. Visitor numbers are up and the profile of museums and galleries is high. Museums need to exploit this. Over the next few years, the competition for funding and support is going to be so great that just being “a good thing” will not be good enough.
Sharon Heal, editor
Links
Museums Journal January 2010, p9