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An Action Framework for Museums
Responses to the consultation - a summary
There were 92 detailed responses to the consultation. A list of respondents is attached at
Annex A. They responded under the four headings of the consultation request. Many of the responses also called for significant Scottish Executive support for the non-national museums sector and for local authorities to make a greater commitment to core funding for the capacity and sustainability of museums in their area.
Under the Roles and Structures heading there was significant call for:
Clarification of the respective roles of NMS, NGS and SMC
Review of funding for local authorities regarding museums and galleries, and a formalisation of the concepts of 'cultural entitlement' and to 'ensure adequate cultural facilities'
The Executive to establish the role of Resource in Scotland
A new agency with strategic oversight was championed variously:
a) for all museums, b) for the non-national sector
to be responsible for standards (establish and monitor), training, advice, grant-aid
with a regional development approach
to work with Nationals to disseminate expertise
to work with Resource and CyMAL (the Welsh agency) on standards and performance indicators
In relation to the Scottish Museums Council it was widely considered that:
the Council's role should be clarified
SMC could be expanded to fulfil the role of a new agency (but that being a membership organisation would compromise this role); and that SMC
should establish close relationships with nationals
should extend representation of independent museums
On the subject of partnership the respondents considered that the Executive should promote:
formalisation of the outreach role of the Nationals
the development of regional partnerships/networks
the establishment of regional centres of excellence
the establishment of partnerships between all heritage and enterprise agencies
links to Community Planning
In respect of funding:
It was suggested:
that insufficient core funding compromises sustainability of individual museums
that core funding provided by the Executive should be based on importance of collections and agreed national performance standards
that local authorities' funding and commitment/responsibility should be reviewed along with 'cultural entitlement'
that any new arrangements for funding should be long term and strategic
that traditional departmental funding strategies in local authorities, should be reviewed
that a significant percentage of nationally important collections are outwith direct funding and should be taken account of
The Strategic Change Fund's future:
Wider agendas:
In relation to the social agenda it was noted that:
there is a shortage of education officers
local museums contribute to community identity
local museums have an important role in agendas for education, social justice and equality; and
that their contribution needs strategic focus
that they should be involved in Community Planning
In relation to the economic agenda:
research is needed into real economic value of museums
there should be close strategic links to the Tourism Framework for Action
that museums should work with ATBs
that an overall strategy is required to enable these developments
In terms of widening audiences:
research is required into visitor needs and best practice
that restraints on improving access to listed buildings need addressing
new interpretation techniques are required
improvements depend on sustained core funding
It was considered that volunteers:
are necessary for survival
require management, training and professional development
develop active citizenship
On Professional Issues respondents commented:
on lack of access to curatorial and conservation expertise
that a national strategy for training would enhance the sector
that formalisation of the outreach role of Nationals would contribute to professional expertise
that establishing centres of expertise, including university museums, would benefit the sector as a whole
that national availability of expertise needed to be established
that strategies to deal with significant documentation backlogs are required at all levels
that it is difficult to develop capacity when lacking resources to undertake core activities
that the role of SCRAN could be developed
that an ICT policy is required for the sector as a whole
that there should be a national standards framework using Resource's registration scheme as the basis
The Education Culture and Sport (ECS) Committee
The Parliamentary ECS Committee said consideration would need to be given to the future function of SMC and the remit of NMS. This should include consideration of which body is the most appropriate for the future funding and support of museums; whether there should be a national framework for sharing curatorial expertise and how this would be achieved; and if new designations are required to distinguish between local and national bodies. It would also be desirable to attempt to estimate the necessary cost for running an effective, efficient and sustainable range of Scottish museums.
The wider context
The submissions summarised above were considered in detail and in the context of what could constitute the most effective progress for the sector within the constraints of existing resources. Consideration was also given to how any new action taken would enable the sector through increased capacity, to provide access to quality experience based on well-researched and well-cared-for collections, to develop sustainability and to generate greater resources in the future from a range of sources.
The Partnership Agreement for a Better Scotland contains a commitment to consult on the future governance of the arts, culture and the creative industries in Scotland. It also undertakes to look at the creation of a single cultural organisation for Scotland. This will include consultation on the structure and purpose of the Scottish Arts Council as well as the other national and regional cultural bodies and companies. It will look at the future role and funding of the arts and culture in Scotland.
These impending wider-ranging consultations could have significant impact on the arrangements for support of the cultural heritage sector. A significant range of issues in relation to museums and galleries, in particular those relating to organisations, structures, roles and responsibilities, should ideally be focused and considered within this wider context. Indeed, many of the museums and galleries submissions called for just such a comprehensive look at the bigger picture.
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