NEWS

Questionnaire to help shape the world famous geology collections in Cornwall

The Royal Institution of Cornwall runs the Royal Cornwall Museum and Courtney Library and will celebrate its 200th anniversary in 2018. The museum and library are home to over 350,000 items. The geology collection contains an estimated 23,000 items of which approximately 13,000 are identified mineralogical specimens. As part of the process of planning for the future, a Collections Review has been commissioned to address access, significance, knowledge and interpretative potential. In particular, the RIC is seeking a pathway towards achieving Designated status for the geology collection. This questionnaire is intended for professional and amateur geologists, those who look after geological collections and those with allied interests in Cornwall’s mineralogy. Your ideas, opinions and evidence will help shape the future of this internationally-significant collection.

We are also putting together a list of museums with geology collections, please get in touch with [log in to unmask]">Dr Tehmina Goskar to register your museum. 

Expression of interest sought for free meet-up with Airbnb hosts in your area

Airbnb is a tourism phenomenon contributing £Ms to Cornwall’s economy and arguably bringing a different sort of tourist to the county. This summer Culture24, the arts charity that produces Museums at Night, is working with Airbnb to study the mutual benefits of collaboration between the culture and heritage sector and Airbnb property owners. This free half day meet-up will bring museum staff and Airbnb hosts together to discuss what’s on offer from the sector, what types of events cultural tourists are looking for and how hosts and venue staff can work together to offer more information and attract more cultural tourists to venues’ events. To register your interest in attending (date & venue TBC) please drop an email to Nick Stockman, Culture24 campaigns manager.

Job opportunity: Duty Manager, National Maritime Museum Cornwall

The National Maritime Museum Cornwall are looking to recruit an energetic, friendly team player to join the Visitor Services team as a Duty Manager. Among others, you will ensure the smooth daily running of the Museum so each visitor experiences a day out to remember, from the welcome they receive to the warm farewell. Deadline for applications is the 26th of June, and interviews are taking place on the 5th of July. For a full description please click here. 

EVENTS & TRAINING 

Cornwall Copyright Forum

27 June, Truro Community Library

A peer-led copyright forum for Cornwall museums, archives and galleries, facilitated by Cornwall Museums Partnership (CMP). This forum provides a space where staff and volunteers can come together to discuss their own issues relating to copyright and to get updates on current relevant legislation. Following the success of the last two Copyright Forums, this FREE session will put the theory into practice. For further information and to book a place please visit our website. If you can't make it but would still like to have access to our comprehensive guide to copyright for museums, art galleries, and archives, visit our website to download it.

SWFed conference 2017: Partnerships in Practice 

5 & 6 July, University of Exeter

Experts from leading organisations in the heritage sector and beyond, including the National Trust, The National Archives, and Plymouth Dance, will be coming together to speak at this year’s SWFed Conference in Exeter. They will be sharing tips and useful insights on partnership working, using a variety of case studies, talks and workshops. It will be a fantastic opportunity for people working in or with the heritage sector in the South West to learn, share, and network.
Sustaining organisations in this tough and uncertain economic climate is becoming increasingly challenging for many. As with all things, a challenge can often become an opportunity and increasingly there is strength to be found in working together, pooling resources, and developing projects and strategies that enable us to meet our goals and provide for our audiences and collections.

To find out more and to book your place, please visit the South West Federation of Museums and Art Galleries website.  

GEM Intermediate course: Health & Wellbeing

10 July, 27 November, 24 January, various locations

In partnership with National Alliance for Museums Health and Wellbeing (NAMHW), the course has been developed as part of GEM's ACE-funded Learning & Sharing Centre project. Health and Wellbeing is one of five GEM intermediate courses that will address the core competencies identified by GEM, to help raise professional standards in the museum, heritage and cultural sector.

The course is aimed at supporting the professional development of mid-career heritage educators involved with health and wellbeing. The first Health and Wellbeing course will take place in Leicester, with the one-day workshop taking place on Monday 10 July 2017. The two other courses will take place in London (27 November 2017) and Manchester (24 January 2018). For more information and to book a place please visit the GEM Website. 

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

Bright Sparks: the next round of joint grant funding for artists and museums now open

Cornwall Museums Partnership and FEAST are challenging museums and artists to work together to generate original ideas for bringing more and different people into the museums of Cornwall to enjoy Cornwall’s unique heritage.  For the second year we are offering a joint small grants fund to enable the best ideas to be tested and delivered. We are looking for genuine innovation and collaboration between artist(s) and museums, and for ideas which would appeal to a broad range of the community. Deadline for applications is September 17 2017. For further information and how to apply please visit our website.

Make a Difference Awards

Following the success of the previous two years’ CPD grants we’ve facilitated, we are delighted to announce that the next round of Make a Difference Awards is now open. The awards are available to support any museum staff and volunteers within their professional development and can be used for almost anything that will help to improve an area of the museum.

Ranging from study trips to see areas of best practice within another museum or site, to accredited training to upskill a member of your team, grants really can be used in whichever way will best suit you and your museum. All we ask is that you provide some financial contribution towards the overall cost and that you share your findings so that all museums in Cornwall may benefit. To apply and for more information, please visit our website, or contact Jenna Marrion.