Hello
I also haven't read the report in depth but from a quick skim, it seems that the headline findings are failing to pick up on a key issue:
The reason organisations are doing fewer digital activities, and in particular doing less distribution of content/exhibitions and engaging people with that content, is that these are the most expensive activities and they have less money than before.
Organisations are likely to be doing less content production overall, and not just digitally.
At the same time, they may be more pressured by funding requirements to do more with local communities, to engage new/diverse audiences, and to work in ways that they can demonstrate concrete social impacts. This can feel harder to prove through online activity - mainly because of the way online is used more by orgs as a channel for distribution than for interpersonal dialogue and social change. (Though Culture24 is looking at that, which is good!)
The report does acknowledge constraints on finances, but doesn't pick up on it in the summary, and doesn't - as far as I can tell - go into this particular systemic issue.
And, yes museums again suffer from being seen as a 'cultural form' akin to an 'artform'. Museums don't just generate culture (although they do, through commissions, experiences, events etc). Their stewardship role (as collectors, protectors, researchers etc) always goes unrecognised in the repeats of this study and in many others that conflate arts and museums.
Bridget
@bridgetmck