CyMAL: Museums Archives and Libraries Wales
Museums Current Awareness Service - Bulletin 104
Information about the Museums Current Awareness Service can be found on CyMAL’s pages on the Welsh Assembly website.
http://www.wales.gov.uk/cymal
WELSH ASSEMBLY GOVERNMENT
Report on the Citizen-Centred Governance Review of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales
The report offers a range of examples of good practice and innovation against each of the seven Citizen-centred Governance Principles. This is the report on the Citizen-centred Governance Review undertaken at the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments Wales (‘the Royal Commission’) as a joint initiative between the Commissioners and the Welsh Assembly Government’s Performance and Governance unit during the period October to December 2009.
DEPARTMENT FOR CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Measuring the value of culture: a report to the Department for Culture Media and Sport
There has been recognition, both within central government and in parts of the publically funded cultural sector, of the need to more clearly articulate the value of culture. As a result DCMS has established a partnership to co-ordinate a programme of work on measuring cultural value, and to provide leadership. DCMS is the lead partner, with the support of the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), with Hasan Bakhshi (NESTA), Alan Freeman (GLA), John Davies (English Heritage), Rachel Smithies (Arts Council England) and Graham Hitchen as advisors. The overall programme is aiming to take a role in leading a step-change in understanding and methodology regarding the measurement of the value of culture.
http://www.culture.gov.uk/publications/7660.aspx
MUSEUMS ASSOCIATION
The MA's plans for the year ahead
The Museums Association (MA) has a range of new developments in the pipeline for 2011. On 31 January the Museums and Galleries Yearbook online edition will go live on our website, allowing users to easily search through over 3,000 entries by collection type, attendance figures, staff lists, and much more. Yearbook online will be an invaluable resource for everyone working in the sector.
Effective Collections is also due to launch a new grant scheme this month. The Esmée Fairbairne Collection Fund focuses on collections work outside the scope of an organisation’s core resources, and will make £800,000 available per year over two grant rounds. The first round runs until 31 May - see our website next week for further details.
This year’s Annual Conference and Exhibition takes place in Brighton from 3-4 October. Entry prices will be reduced, making the event more accessible to all our members. The MA is accepting session proposals until 18 February, and anyone with an interesting subject to discuss can apply - click here to find out more.
http://www.museumsassociation.org/news/05012011-the-year-ahead-at-the-ma
ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT MUSEUMS
AIM considers how best to advise on trust status
AIM is considering how best to offer advice to museums considering a move from local authority control to charitable trust status, increasingly seen as a possible solution to museums’ future sustainability as a result of the current economic climate and crippling budget cutbacks. Most of AIM members are run as charitable trusts and the association contains within it a body of knowledge about the operational aspects and challenges of this governance model. AIM Council members are often asked for their advice, and this has increased since the recently announced cuts. AIM chairman Bill Ferris says while trusts can indeed create more opportunities, there are also risks, which need to be fully understood before taking the plunge.
HERITAGE LOTTERY FUND
Christmas comes early for ‘Westminster Abbey of Wales’ thanks to HLF funding
A Llantwit Major chapel has been awarded nearly £300,000 by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to transform the ruined 13th century building into a new learning and exhibition centre. The Galilee Chapel adjoins the Grade I listed St. Illtud’s Church, has been described as the Westminster Abbey of Wales for its unique collection of Celtic carved stones and statues of prominent individuals.
The Rectorial Benefice of Llantwit Major will use the £298,100 of HLF funding to create a space dedicated to displaying the Celtic Stones and telling the story of Christianity as it developed from the site. Funding will also be used to train local people as volunteer guides to interpret the story for pilgrims and casual visitors. A series of community events and school activities, as well as the production of a book, exhibition and film themed around ‘Carved in Stone’, are planned as part of the project to appeal to children and young people.
http://www.hlf.org.uk/news/Pages/GalileeChapel.aspx
COLLECTIONS
eHive Presentations now on Collections Link
In case you missed it, the presentations from Collections Trust/Vernon Systems eHive event are now live on Collections Link.
EVENTS
Bookings now open for OpenCulture 2011 - Birmingham, 7-8 June 2011
OpenCulture 2011 is the groundbreaking new 2-day Collections Management conference organised by the Collections Trust. Featuring leading international speakers, the conference will address current issues such as sustainable environmental management, managing digital content and making money from your Collections.
http://www.openculture2011.org.uk/
TRAINING AND CONFERENCES
Visitor Studies Group AGM 2011 and Conference: Audience research in an age of austerity: Ensuring continued support for the visitor voice - London, 4 February 2011
Is Audience Research a legitimate cut? In the face of severe cuts for the cultural sector difficult decisions have to be made about funding priorities, including core collections, opening hours and front-line staff. However, if the burden of the financial shrinkage falls too heavily on learning and research, is the quality of the visiting experience itself at risk? What does this mean for funding bids which increasingly demand evidence of impact, demonstrations of lessons learnt from previous projects and audience consultations? If insight into visitor expectations and experiences is cut, how can we effectively engage people with our collections and stories?
This one day conference will provide examples of how major projects have been turned around on small budgets, how audience research can be strategically embedded in the aims of an organisation and how smaller organisations keep audience research alive. We will hear first hand from DCMS about some of the issues facing us.
http://visitors.org.uk/node/412
Call for Papers: SHCG Conference 2011: Who Do We Think We Are? Working with Social History Collections in the 21st Century
This year’s conference invites those who work with social history to stand up and be counted and asks “what does it mean to be a social history practitioner”? SHCG is pleased to invite contribution proposals from across the museum sector that reflects on one or more of the following core themes:
· What are the defining skills of a social history curator?
· How important is subject specialist knowledge and where does it come from?
· How can we advocate the role of the social history in museums?
· What does the individual bring to their role?
· What added value can we attach to social history in museums?
We are looking for interesting case studies, thoughts and reflections on one or more of the core themes to be presented in a 20 minute paper (plus 10 mins answering questions). Proposals should include a 200 word summary of the presentation, contact details and institutional affiliation (if any).
http://www.shcg.org.uk/scripts/news_item.asp?itemID=89
Adventures with Digital Learning in Museums Onsite and Offsite - London, 4 February 2011
If you are interested in Museum Digital Learning then this event offers you a chance to play and explore what digital learning has to offer!
The day will give you:
1. An overview of onsite, outreach and online digital learning technology
2. Case studies on how digital technology is supporting learning onsite, offsite and online.
3. Hands on session where you can get your hands on using digital technology using the British Museum galleries and the state of the art Samsung Digital Discovery Centre.
4. The opportunity to discuss, share ideas, and actively contribute to the best of what is happening with Digital learning in museums and in outreach
This will be followed by an Unconference, giving everyone the opportunity to discuss, share ideas, and actively contribute to the best of what is happening with Digital learning inside museums and in outreach.
ACCESS, LIFELONG LEARNING AND SOCIAL INCLUSION
North East, South East and South West Wales Participation Networks
South East Wales Participation Network - 1 February, Bridgend
South West Wales Participation Network - 22 February, Swansea
North East Wales Participation Network - 24 February, Mold
Participation Cymru is running participation networks in North East, South East and South West Wales. The events will be FREE of charge and open to all practitioners. Participatory methods will be used throughout the session in order to enable practitioners to meet and learn from other participants, share problems and solutions, as well as opportunities to develop your own skills.
There is also time available for you to test out your own participatory sessions with a sympathetic audience. Please let us know should you like to take up this opportunity or if you have any specific topics or methods that you would like to examine at the network.
Should you be interested in attending please contact [log in to unmask] or 029 2043 6596.
FUNDING AND AWARDS
CAF - Making Charities’ Lives Easier
CAF (Charities Aid Foundation) works with a wide range of charities to support them with banking and investment services, fundraising and donation processing, training, advice and consultancy and social investment. Our services are designed to make your life easier so that you’re free to focus on your mission. Last year CAF distributed £372m to over 45,000 charities on behalf of our donors.
We can help you…
- Make the most of the funding available to you
- Maximise your fundraising
- Grow your organisation
- With support through the difficult times
- Manage your money as effectively as possible
http://www.cafonline.org/makinglifeeasier
PUBLICATIONS AND RESEARCH
British Museum research online
For the last few years, the British Museum have used a small gallery just inside the main entrance as a ‘test bed’ for experimental approaches to displays. Known simply as ‘Room 3’, the gallery has seen exhibitions on subjects as diverse as Japanese flower arranging, a Roman cup showing homo-erotic love scenes, and the Caribbean before Columbus stumbled across it. All these exhibitions have been supported by thorough research that shapes the temporary exhibition itself, and helps make improvements to the permanent galleries.
Now several papers describing some of the exhibitions and giving details of the research findings are available online. They give a fascinating insight into how visitors respond to different layouts and interpretation approaches, and the museum plans to make more reports available in future.
http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/visitor_research.aspx
WANTED
Can Museums & Galleries Improve Your Mental Health?
We are a new partnership group of four museums in North Wales (Bodelwyddan Castle, Llanrwst Almshouses, Oriel ac Amgueddfa Gwynedd and Oriel Ynys Mon) working collaboratively to develop a more strategic approach to the role museums play in supporting the needs of mental health service users in the area. We are anticipating submitting a grant application to CyMAL as a partnership to carry out an in-depth action research project which looks at the additional benefits museums can offer in health promotion as well as recovery from mental ill health. Our goal is to use this project as an opportunity to refine the pre-existing knowledge and expertise within the partnership in order to develop a model for future partnership working (between museums and across the health, community and voluntary sectors).
We are inviting researchers/consultants to submit expressions of interest in carrying out the study on behalf of the partnership. Please request a copy of the brief by sending an e-mail to me at [log in to unmask] The brief is currently available in English; however, if you require a Welsh language version, please specify this in your e-mail request.
The deadline for expressions of interest is 20th January, you will then be invited to submit a more detailed application by the 30th April 2011. Full details of how to apply are outlined in the research brief.
NEWS - WALES
South Wales Museums group - Swansea, 27 January 2011
Agenda:
1) Group introductions and updates. Also a chance for general discussion, or to raise any issues you are facing at the moment, which you may feel the need to share!
2) Meeting topic: Education - formal and informal. As ever this should be an opportunity to share ideas and experiences, good practice, bad practice and all in between. It may be that this will lead onto more specific topics which can be discussed at other meetings.
If you have any suggestions for topics at future meetings please let me know. We want the meetings to be relevant, and are keen to tie them in with the Museum Strategy too. Currently on the list are: Promotion/Marketing, Filming, Functions and Events, & Fundraising.
Emily Price [[log in to unmask]]
Art work 'discovered' after 50 years in Newport museum
One of the earliest works of a renowned Welsh painter has gone on show after 50 years in a museum's archives. David Griffiths from Cardiff was a struggling student when, in 1958, he painted 'Llaregyb', based on Dylan Thomas' play Under Milk Wood. That year he submitted the piece for show at Ebbw Vale eisteddfod where it was bought by Newport museum.
Whilst Mr Griffiths went on to become one of the UK's celebrated portrait artists, his painting gathered dust. But it was re-discovered two years ago when Mr Griffiths visited the museum and asked staff to see it. They have since spent £1,200 restoring the painting for a new exhibition. Newport Museum and Art Gallery curator Robin Hawkins said: "The painting is interesting as it clearly shows the latent ability of this young artist, and yet gives little clue to the style of painting that he was to develop later as a portrait artist," said Mr Hawkins.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-12023839
NEWS - SCOTLAND
Falkirk Council hands some services to trust
Falkirk Council is setting up the trust to manage cultural and leisure activities on its behalf. A range of facilities will be handed to the trust, including management of the Grangemouth Stadium, public libraries and the historic Callendar House. The authority said the changeover would be in place by the summer and would have a "minimal impact". Many of the council's parks, museums and the Hippodrome in Bo'ness will also be run by the trust.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-12121494
Cash boost for Scottish cultural collections
A £220,000 funding package will boost access to Scotland's museum collections, the culture minister has said. Fiona Hyslop said the cash would be shared by attractions in Aberdeen, Dundee and Glasgow. Ms Hyslop said: "This funding will help increase access to some of the attractions which collectively tell Scotland's story to an estimated 25.3 million visitors every year, contributing more that £800m to the economy."
Joanne Orr, chief executive officer of Museums Galleries Scotland, said the money was "great news". She added: "Our museums and galleries are a huge asset to Scotland's tourism and education offer." The organisation manages the government's "recognition scheme" for museums and galleries housing collections of national significance.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-12080425
NEWS - NORTHERN IRELAND
NI's culture budget faces £14.5m cut
Northern Ireland’s Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure is set to lose over 9% of its budget over the next four years, as part of the region’s draft budget. The cuts are equal to £14.5m and represent one of the largest cuts compared to other government departments, according to Arts Council Northern Ireland. Under the draft proposals, the department of culture will see its budget fall from £113.3m in 2010-11 to £103m in 2014-15. Taking the £113.m as a baseline, the accumulative value of the cuts is £14.5m over the four-year period.
Elizabeth Bennett & Carol Whittaker
Current Awareness Service
Inclusion of third party information in the Museums Current Awareness Service does not constitute an endorsement by CyMAL. CyMAL takes no responsibility for the quality of third party events, products or services featured in this Newsletter. Whilst every care is taken to provide accurate information, neither CyMAL nor the editor undertakes any liability for any error or omission.
If you know anyone who would like to be added to the circulation list, or would like a ‘hard copy’ of the main mailing, or if you don’t have access to the internet and need prints from the sites listed - please contact Carol Whittaker. People who currently receive hard copies will continue to do so.
Welsh and English versions of the bulletin will remain separate in response to requests from readers.
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Elizabeth Bennett
CyMAL: Amgueddfeydd Archifau a Llyfrgelloedd Cymru - CyMAL: Museums Archives and Libraries Wales
Llywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru - Welsh Assembly Government
Rhodfa Padarn,
Aberystwyth,
Ceredigion,
SY23 3UR.
Ffon/Tel: 0300 062 2101
Fax/Ffacs: 0300 062 2052
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