Opinion
Looking forward as Diversify finishes
Thanks to programmes such as the Museums Association’s (MA) Renaissance-funded Diversify scheme, the museum workforce is getting more diverse. Since the 1990s the proportion of people from minority-ethnic backgrounds working in UK museums has almost trebled from around 2.5 per cent in 1993 to around 7 per cent in 2008 (the most recent figures available). …
Are cuts a threat to collections mobility?
We have experienced the worst recession since the 1930s and the government is committed to cutting its way out our economic difficulties. We already have evidence to demonstrate that spending on arts and culture is a soft target – witness the proposed 50 per cent cut at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and …
Big Society is already here: let’s not abuse it
There was a furore in Liverpool recently when prime minister David Cameron came to the city to announce his plan for the Big Society. Actually, ‘plan’ might be too strong a word for the notion of shifting power from central government to neighbourhoods. It’s more of a dream, a vision, part of the ideology that …
Vox pop
Where should responsibility for museums in England lie after the abolition of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council?
Letters
Stonehenge: it’s a lot more than a visitor centre that is at stake Maev Kennedy makes light of the government’s decision to withdraw £10m funding from the Stonehenge project. The media response has, understandably, focused on the building side of the project – the visitor centre. What has not been mentioned are the environmental improvements …
What Barack Obama can teach museum managers
There are more books and articles published and courses organised about leadership than any other sub-discipline of business. We have our fair share in the cultural sector. This year I attended a Cultural Leadership Programme leadership facilitation skills course run by Action Learning Associates. Its aim was to provide support in developing leadership skills – …
The government has put the lid on advocacy so it’s time for a bit of DIY
The political and economic landscape has changed, and the advocacy environment has changed with it. As a sector we have historically depended on our quangos to advocate on our behalf (the likes of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council and English Heritage). And they’ve been obliging. But as a consequence of the Tories’ localism agenda, …
Letters
Supporting tomorrow’s curators today is crucial for our collections This letter is prompted by the very welcome points made by Stephen Deuchar regarding curatorial expertise and Maurice Davies regarding collecting at a time of financial crisis. Important positions, but there is a risk that these positions unintentionally polarise the situation on the ground, creating a …