I would urge culture minister Ed Vaizey to prioritise the following:

  • Safeguard the investment in museums. One of the big success stories has been free admission for the nationals, which should be maintained. Much of the nationals’ success has been due to funding that has enabled them to fulfil a truly national role.
  • Cuts in museum spending will contribute little to savings targets, but even a few thousand pounds lost to museums will have a disproportionate impact.
  • Museums have a track record in attracting philanthropic giving but let’s not pretend it’s a quick fix, or that it can fill the gaps that cuts will soon expose.
  • Renaissance funding must be maintained. Many of the recent successes of museums in England have been possible because of increased government revenue funding through Renaissance.
  • Ensure the continuation of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council functions such as the Accreditation Scheme, Acceptance in Lieu, security advice and the Purchase Grant Fund for the regions.
  • It is important that museums are not seen as the “junior” partner in any new body that succeeds the MLA.

Despite the gloom there are still some reasons to be cheerful. We have had 15 years of substantial investment; museums are prepared for the Big Society through their engagement with volunteers; our partnerships are strong; we have had investment in leadership skills; and we should celebrate the fact that we still have the Museums Association (MA).

What do we need to focus on in the next two years?

  • Economic, social and environmental sustainability.
  • Improving partnerships and extending them beyond the museum sector.
  • Better use and sharing of collections including rationalising, re-homing or disposing of material where appropriate. 
  • Sharing skills and knowledge.
  • Developing new governance and business models for public museums.
  • Fostering good political relationships such as the MA’s Love Museums campaign, which has provided free advice, resources and training to enable us to raise our game and make our voice heard.

Who is going to help us navigate through this perfect storm? The simple answer is that we in the museum sector are going to help ourselves. And the MA is here to support us to do that.

As an independent membership organisation the MA represents a wide range of museums and galleries and the people who work for them. One of the strengths of that independence is the luxury of being able to say what we like.

However, with that freedom comes responsibility. The MA has a strong track record in providing leadership, helping museums develop new thinking and then working with them to show how new ideas can be put into practice.

The MA has a UK remit and this gives us an unrivalled overview of UK museums. We know how they are changing and know what matters to them. We are aware that Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own issues and we speak for the professionals in these countries too.

The MA can legitimately adopt a leadership role because of its strong membership base. Your support for that is crucial. Don’t just be a member, be an active member.

Vanessa Trevelyan is the head of Norfolk Museums & Archaeology Service and president of the Museums Association