Museums in England will come under the jurisdiction of the arts council from the autumn, and now is a crucial time for shaping how that relationship will work and the future strategic direction of the sector. Arts Council England (ACE) has shown that it is willing to listen to what the sector has to say.
The Museums Association (MA) has drafted a radical new model for investment in regional museums as part of its contribution to the debate. The new framework moves away from hubs and the core museum idea, taking as its starting point demonstrable public benefit as a prerequisite for funding.
Museums in England have had 10 years of Renaissance investment, and the infrastructure and capacity of the hubs, public sector cuts notwithstanding, should be on a good footing by now. Breaking away from that hub model and reaching across a broader range of organisations and partnerships is a logical step in the right direction.
The emphasis on public benefit is good for organisations and audiences, and more museums getting funding means a far-reaching and more equitable spread of investment.
It is unfortunate that the timing of the transition to ACE means that decisions about funding for the next three years are being made before there has been a chance for a proper conversation about the strategic direction of the sector as a whole.
But it is not too late to do this and if ACE takes the brave decision to follow the MA’s lead now, it will set a marker for the strategy to follow.
Sharon Heal, editor, Museums Journal
sharon@museumsassociation.org
www.twitter.com/sharonheal
For the full MA response, see www.museumsassociation.org/ace and news, p9
There will be a keynote speaker from the arts council and sessions debating the new museum landscape and national strategies at the MA conference on 3-4 October in Brighton.
Click here to find out more
The Museums Association (MA) has drafted a radical new model for investment in regional museums as part of its contribution to the debate. The new framework moves away from hubs and the core museum idea, taking as its starting point demonstrable public benefit as a prerequisite for funding.
Museums in England have had 10 years of Renaissance investment, and the infrastructure and capacity of the hubs, public sector cuts notwithstanding, should be on a good footing by now. Breaking away from that hub model and reaching across a broader range of organisations and partnerships is a logical step in the right direction.
The emphasis on public benefit is good for organisations and audiences, and more museums getting funding means a far-reaching and more equitable spread of investment.
It is unfortunate that the timing of the transition to ACE means that decisions about funding for the next three years are being made before there has been a chance for a proper conversation about the strategic direction of the sector as a whole.
But it is not too late to do this and if ACE takes the brave decision to follow the MA’s lead now, it will set a marker for the strategy to follow.
Sharon Heal, editor, Museums Journal
sharon@museumsassociation.org
www.twitter.com/sharonheal
For the full MA response, see www.museumsassociation.org/ace and news, p9
There will be a keynote speaker from the arts council and sessions debating the new museum landscape and national strategies at the MA conference on 3-4 October in Brighton.
Click here to find out more