The Whitworth reopened last month following a £15m redevelopment and was an immediate hit. It welcomed nearly 18,000 visitors on its opening weekend – a great achievement for Maria Balshaw, the director of the gallery, and her team.
In recent years, museums and galleries all over the UK have proved they are capable of reinventing themselves and attracting bigger audiences.
Figures just released show that 49 million visits were made to the 16 museums and galleries directly funded by the department of culture last year, a record high since the first data was published in 2002-03.
But concern is growing in the sector that all the good work museums are doing is being increasingly undermined by a combination of budget cuts, short-termism and a lack of understanding about the value of culture in government.
Christoph Vogtherr, the director the London’s Wallace Collection, who writes in this issue, believes that the purpose of museums is slowly giving way to income generation targets, with financial erosion moving many towards collapse.
But what can be done about this? The Museums Association has long argued that the sector needs to make the public aware of the damage being done by budget cuts.
Vogtherr argues that museums should communicate more clearly and make the case for culture in society more strongly.
A group of cultural leaders and academics has just published Enriching Britain: Culture, Creativity and Growth, a report into the value of culture. It will be interesting to see if this has any impact on policy-makers and their attitude to the arts.
The Whitworth was created in 1889 as a gallery for “people of all social classes”. These were lofty Victorian aims but it is probably only in the 21st century that many in the sector have started to truly embrace this philosophy and have made real efforts to make all their communities feel welcome.
The challenge now is to find ways to make sure that museums are able to build on the good work they have been doing.
• This month we are publishing a free supplement for those thinking about taking a course in museum, gallery or heritage studies. I hope that you find it useful.
Simon Stephens, head of publications and events, Museums Journal
simon@museumsassociation.org
www.twitter.com/simonastephens
In recent years, museums and galleries all over the UK have proved they are capable of reinventing themselves and attracting bigger audiences.
Figures just released show that 49 million visits were made to the 16 museums and galleries directly funded by the department of culture last year, a record high since the first data was published in 2002-03.
But concern is growing in the sector that all the good work museums are doing is being increasingly undermined by a combination of budget cuts, short-termism and a lack of understanding about the value of culture in government.
Christoph Vogtherr, the director the London’s Wallace Collection, who writes in this issue, believes that the purpose of museums is slowly giving way to income generation targets, with financial erosion moving many towards collapse.
But what can be done about this? The Museums Association has long argued that the sector needs to make the public aware of the damage being done by budget cuts.
Vogtherr argues that museums should communicate more clearly and make the case for culture in society more strongly.
A group of cultural leaders and academics has just published Enriching Britain: Culture, Creativity and Growth, a report into the value of culture. It will be interesting to see if this has any impact on policy-makers and their attitude to the arts.
The Whitworth was created in 1889 as a gallery for “people of all social classes”. These were lofty Victorian aims but it is probably only in the 21st century that many in the sector have started to truly embrace this philosophy and have made real efforts to make all their communities feel welcome.
The challenge now is to find ways to make sure that museums are able to build on the good work they have been doing.
• This month we are publishing a free supplement for those thinking about taking a course in museum, gallery or heritage studies. I hope that you find it useful.
Simon Stephens, head of publications and events, Museums Journal
simon@museumsassociation.org
www.twitter.com/simonastephens
