Christmas came early for some in the sector when Arts Council England announced in mid-December that nearly £680,000 had been awarded to 11 Subject Specialist Networks (SSN). One of the beneficiaries is the War and Conflict SSN, which feels like an appropriate initiative to fund in these troubled times. Maybe a network for political upheaval is needed as well.
The War and Conflict SSN is being run by Imperial War Museums (IWM), which developed the network as part of the legacy of the first world war centenary partnership that it created to mark the centenary of the conflict. 
This SSN is one of two new networks to have received funding, the other being the Workhouse Museums Network, which is run by Norfolk Museums Service. This will bring together those with an interest in the history of poverty and welfare, which are also, unfortunately, important issues today.
Existing networks that have secured funding cover Islamic collections, money and medals, British portraiture, archaeology and rural museums. There is also money for the British Art Network, European paintings pre-1900, contemporary studio ceramics and photographic collections.
Concerns have been growing for some time that budget cuts are leading to the loss of specialist knowledge in the sector, although other areas such as learning and engagement have been hit just as hard, if not harder. But there is no doubt that curatorial posts have been disappearing in some areas, particularly in museums funded by local authorities.
Many SSNs have been stepping in to fill the vacuum by providing training opportunities, and sharing knowledge and expertise. And the arts council money to support these networks is welcome.
But this does feel a bit like using a sticking plaster to cover a deep wound. Museums have been working hard to adapt to the austerity of the past 10 years, but what is needed now is a bit of ambition and a coherent plan for England over the next 10 years. Sharing skills and expertise is important and needs to be encouraged and supported. But it can only take the sector so far, and at some point the issue of funding needs to be tackled head on.
Simon Stephens, editor, Museums Journal