AIM E News June 2010
Posted : 06/07/2010 16:02:49
Association of Independent MuseumsAIM E-News June 2010 Number 10
Independent museum sector worth nearly £500 million
AIM's newly-commissioned research into the Economic Value of the Independent Museums backs up the generally understood figure that every thousand visitors deliver about £30,000 to the economy. Visitors to independent museums (about 9 million of them) represent some £337 million, with £124 million being spent on goods and services by the sector and generating 5,800 jobs. But these figures are cautious ? the numbers may be even higher, Jonathan Durnin of DC Research told AIM delegates at the 2010 annual Conference held at the Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon, Warwickshire. The company has surveyed AIM?s membership, examined case studies and extrapolated the figures for the whole sector in the recent research study. After a little fine-tuning a toolkit will be available soon via the AIM website for members to download and use to calculate their own value in their own local areas.
Other key facts from AIM's 2010 Conference
* Beauty and history attracted people at times of stress, said the National Trust?s director general, Dame Fiona Reynolds: membership of the trust is currently extremely buoyant, reacting to its shift in strategy, including its Going Local campaign.
* Visit England is preparing to up its game, said James Berresford, its chief executive. Museums, culture and heritage were the cornerstone of the offer in identifying the brand of England. He hopes the industry will grow to be worth £50 billion in 10 years, generating 226,000 more jobs.
* Have you invited your new MP along yet, asked AIM chairman, Bill Ferris. He urged members to develop a dialogue with them.
* Core museums are expected to replace hubs: for the rest challenge funding would be available. AIM chairman Bill Ferris said members should come up with creative schemes working in partnership with others ? be proactive and put forward your own ideas.
* MLA (Museums, Libraries & Archives Council) has passed on 2.4% of its total 3% cuts in the current Government savings to the Renaissance project 'much less than they feared' so far.
* Read more about AIM Conference 2010 in the August issue of the AIM Bulletin
Date for your diary
Next year's AIM Conference is on 16-18 June 2011 at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford, Cambridge.
Museum Development report calls for change
A new report calls for a national framework linking museum development (and Museum Development Officers) to the national agenda. It also recommends phasing out small grants schemes managed and distributed by MDOs in the regions, despite the fact that they provide direct benefits to small museums. It praises the work MDOs do and acknowledges their usefulness at local and regional level, but calls for a more effective delivery of the national agenda. In the medium to long-term the Museum Development Fund should be re-designated as a challenge fund, it says. Both AIM and the MDO Network are considering their responses. Further information about the report will be included in the August issue of AIM Bulletin. For the report, go to http://www.mla.gov.uk/~/media/Files/pdf/2010/programmes/MLA_museum_development_report
Wedgwood Museum placed into administration
The Wedgwood Museum has been placed into administration, throwing into doubt the future of its internationally-renowned collection. The museum has been forced into this position because of its connection to the Wedgwood company, which failed last year, leaving a £134 million pension shortfall. Because the museum was still trading and had five staff in the Wedgwood Group Pension Plan scheme it was held liable for the shortfall. Still open as usual, it is now in the hands of Begbies Traynor, which is planning a campaign to pay off the creditors and avoid the need to sell the collection. They hope to raise millions of pounds from heritage organisations, the public and philanthropists. A court application has been made to decide whether the collection can be made available to unsecured creditors - the administrators can argue that it has endowment status which would preclude a sale - but this could take months to resolve. Meanwhile the trust is in talks with a range of interested parties to see how the designated collections can be preserved, and Primo PR has been taken on to run a campaign to boost visitor numbers at the Barlaston attraction.
Going green with VisitEngland
VisitEngland has launched an online toolkit to help small to medium-sized businesses become more sustainable. Green Start is available free of charge; by following simple steps businesses can reduce their energy waste and water costs by at least 10%, with additional savings of up to 40%. Alongside Green Start, Keep it Real is a complementary marketing and communications tool providing businesses with tips and advice on marketing their green credentials. Green Start is available on www.better-tourism.org and Keep it Real on www.visitengland.com/keepitreal
Birthday honours
Among HM The Queen's Birthday Honours for the museum and heritage sector are: CBEs for Richard Hunting, former chairman of the Geffrye Museum Trust and Stephen Deuchar, director of the Art Fund; an OBE for Alec Coles, former director of Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums and MBE?s for Kenneth Jones for services to the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site and Audrey Swindells, for service to Bath Postal Museum, a long-standing AIM member.
AIM's response to Arts & Business's new arts policy
Unequivocal Government support for Gift Aid would help increase public awareness and take-up of the brand, AIM says in its response to Arts & Business?s (A+B?s) initiative A Private Sector Policy for the Arts. "We would be supportive of a campaign to promote wider understanding of the benefits," he says, adding that uncertainties about retrospective action and hawkish attitudes within HMRC were a principal reason for take-up being inhibited. AIM is also very supportive of the revival of A+B?s matching grant programme. "AIM itself can offer a role in promoting any such scheme or even acting as an intermediary partner to ensure the opportunity is taken up fully by independent museums," says the submission. On individual philanthropy AIM expresses anxiety that it is essentially a fine art and a metropolitan phenomenon. An initiative which makes the museum and heritage world easier to understand and to give to would help move the culture of giving into the limelight. Legacies remain a largely untapped source of funds and an initiative to train and equip the sector to take a strategic approach to this potentially significant source of funds would be welcome. AIM has a general concern that the museum aspect of A+B's remit tends to be obscured within "the arts" and would welcome an opportunity to discuss how the two organisations might interface more effectively in the future. http://www.aandb.org.uk/News/2010/private-sector-policy-for-the-arts/index.aspx
Wales launches its first ever museum strategy
Welsh museums are being urged to look at innovative ways of sharing resources and attracting new, younger audiences. Launching Wales?s first ever museum strategy at Swansea Museum, Minister for Heritage, Alun Ffred Jones, said museums would have to be smart to ensure that, as well as preserving the nation?s history and culture, they played an important role in Welsh life during difficult economic times. The five-year strategy calls for: encouraging more volunteers, contributing to cultural tourism, helping develop the Welsh language, sharing exhibits and attracting young people and ethnic minorities. Action should take place in three key areas: museums for everyone; a collection for the nation, and working effectively. AIM Council member and project director for The Cardiff Story, Dr Kate Howe, spoke about the role of independent museums and AIM at the launch. http://tinyurl.com/museumsstrategy
Be part of A Year of Culture+
Take part in The Times and The Sunday Times's A Year of Culture+, in which cultural venues offer Culture+ tailored member loyalty scheme members a year-round 2 for 1 discount. Benefits include promotion in the newspapers, online listing throughout the promotional period and an opportunity to increase visitors. Hurry -you need to take up the invitation by 25 June. Email haily@whynot-europe.com, telephone 020 7494 8662. Website: www.whynot-europe.com
Heritage Lottery Fund invests £17 million in skills
The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has announced an investment of £17 million, treble the initial amount set aside for its Skills for the Future programme. The money will deliver 808 placements and adds up to 780 years' worth of paid training opportunities for people seeking a career in heritage. "The ambitious programme has been introduced as a way in which HLF can make a difference to people's lives at a time of real need", says Dame Jenny Abramsky, HLF chair, who adds that the body has been astounded at the response to the programme, clearly showing a great hunger for skills training within the sector. Fifty-four projects are being supported, among them a programme to expand the Heritage Boatyard operation at the National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port, in partnership with National Historic Ships. This scheme has received £110,000, enabling the museum to able to employ more trainees in traditional boat building, increasing its ability to conserve its collection of historic canal boats. www.hlf.org.uk
Morwellham Quay has new owners
Morwellham Quay near Tavistock, West Devon, has been sold to Simon and Valerie Lister who run renowned gardens at Bicton, near Budleigh Salterton. The couple aim to "breathe new life" into the World Heritage Site, which comprises a copper mine, a museum and a visitor centre, and hoped to have reopened it by mid-summer. At its peak Morwellham attracted more than 150,000 visitors a year but numbers tumbled to just 50,000 in recent years. The attraction was plunged further into trouble when the county council refused to plough more money into the venture and it went into administration. Key employees were retained to undertake routine maintenance work. Councillors have welcomed the new ownership saying it will put the historic site on a more financially secure footing.
Centenary of First World War 2014
The Imperial War Museum is bringing together a range of organisations to develop a national and international programme of activity for the centenary of the First World War in 2014. The BBC is already supporting the initiative and the programme is expected to encompass everything from research to exhibits to events and commemorative services, including the virtual as well as the physical. A meeting to discuss the project further is being held at the museum in London on 8 July at 2.00pm. Anyone interested in the project is asked to complete an online questionnaire at http://www.iwm.org.uk/server/show/nav.24526
Heritage Alliance Heroes
A pilot project for an annual award scheme to celebrate the achievements of Alliance members, such as AIM and to demonstrate the energy and achievements of heritage volunteers has been launched by Heritage Alliance. Open to Alliance members only, the application process is "as simple as we can make it". Deadline is 31 July and the winner will be notified at the end of September. http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/349794/151173672/name/Announcing%20Heritage%20Alliance%20Heroes%20award.doc
Museum training in London
Creating Capacity is an organisation with a social enterprise ethos endorsed by the Museums, Libraries & Archives Council (MLA), the result of a transfer of MLA London's training programme. The aim is to deliver high quality learning at an affordable price to ensure training needs are sustained in the long term. Renaissance London support allows some free places to Accredited museums. The 2010/11 programme covers: Collections, Digital, Information Management, Learning, Managing Money, Planning and Management, Museum focused courses, and Ambassadors and advocates
Contact 07985 659425, email bookings@creatingcapacity.org, or visit the website, www.creatingcapacity.org
Developing links with China and India
As part of China-UK: Connections through Culture programme, the British Council is running a networking event and study tour in China from 27 October to 6 November. Applications are invited by 30 June. Further information: jane.weeks@britishcouncil.org. http://www.ctc.britishcouncil.org.cn/. The same deadline applies to a grant scheme enabling networking opportunities and development support for a similar scheme aimed at supporting collaborative working between the UK and India. For an initial discussion contact tanima.maniktala@britishcouncil.org. http://www.britishcouncil.org/india-arts-developmentsupport.htm
Upcoming seminars, conferences and events
* The Social History Curators Group conference More for Less: big impacts with small resources is in Birmingham on 8-10 July. http://www.shcg.org.uk/scripts/training_item.asp?itemID=62
* Free Renaissance-funded course Museums at the Heart of Tourism at the Ironbridge Institute on 29 June. Email Harriet Devlin at h.devlin@bham.ac.uk
* Collect 2010 on 28 June is the sector event for collections managers or anyone who works with a collection in a museum, gallery, library, archive or heritage attraction. Now in its fourth year, it showcases suppliers of collections management equipment, services and consultancy. Its free to attend, but delegates should register in advance. http://www.collect2010.org.uk
* Implementing Museum Records Management: Step 1 Developing your policy is being held on 15 July at The Brunei Gallery, SOAS, London, funded by Renaissance London/MLA and is free to museum staff working in London. Contact 020 7001 9825, or email svwheeler@museumoflondon.org.uk
Opportunities for an intern
Heritage Alliance intern, Lauren Schofield, a new graduate in ancient history and archaeology at Exeter University, is looking for new opportunities following a period working with the body. For the Alliance, she researched new MP's heritage interests for two weeks producing a useful excel table. Please contact Kate Pugh, Heritage Alliance on 020 7233 0800.
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Grant Schemes Closing Dates
Sustainability Scheme 1 June and 20 December
Conservation Scheme 31 March and 30 September
Bob Harding Training Fund year-round applications invited
AIM Annual Conference 2011
16-18 June 2011 at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford, Cambridgeshire
If you are not already a member of AIM and would like to join please go to www.aim-museums.co.uk
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