South West Museum Development Programme Annual Report 2013/14

Transcription

1 South West Museum Development Programme Annual Report 2013/14

2 2 South West Museum Development Programme 2013/14

3 Foreword I am delighted to be introducing the South West Museum Development Programme s 2013/14 annual report. The programme, funded by Arts Council England, is hosted by Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives on behalf of the South West Museum Development Partnership which represents key stakeholders in the museums and heritage sector across the South West of England. The aim of the programme is to promote excellence, innovation, partnerships and sustainability to support the organisational resilience of museums in our region. Despite the programme s modest budget of less than 450,000 per annum it has reached over 280 museums in 2013/14 through a support structure that ensures all museums can access a wide range of development services. A key success has been the partnerships established with 16 Local Authorities across the region, which invest almost 100,000 per year in the programme. This provides vital additional support for museums so they can maximise their benefits to audiences and communities. This investment is imperative to ensure the continued vitality of our arts and cultural sector and its valuable contributions to the economy, health and wellbeing, education and the enrichment of our communities. Arts Council England announced in September 2014 that Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives was successful in securing further funding for the period The award of 1,359,000 over the three years is a clear endorsement of the current programme and we are privileged to continue to provide what is clearly such a valued and important service for museums across the region. Cllr Simon Cook Assistant Mayor for Business Change, Resources and the Arts, Bristol City Council Left: Falmouth Art Gallery, Cornwall. South West Museum Development Programme 2013/14 3

4 Contents 3 Foreword Regional reports 5 Introduction 17 Regional Summary 6 Museums in the South West 18 Cornwall 7 Strategic Context 20 Devon 21 East Devon/ West Devon Our Programme 2013/14 22 Teignbridge 8 Collections Excellence 23 Torridge & North Devon 10 Audiences: Visitor Focus 24 Somerset 11 Audiences: Digital Engagement 26 Dorset, Bournemouth & Poole 12 Resilience: Sustainability Programme 28 Gloucestershire 13 Resilience: Retail Assessment Project 29 West of England: Bristol & South Glos. 14 Workforce Diversity and Skills 30 West of England: Bath & NE Somerset 15 Children and Young People 31 West of England: Swindon 16 Small Grant: Big Improvement 32 Wiltshire 33 Financial Report 35 Support 4 South West Museum Development Programme 2013/14

5 Introduction Museum Development is funded by Arts Council England (ACE) as part of its national Renaissance programme. In 2012, the South West Museum Development Partnership secured funding from ACE to deliver Museum Development support to museums across the South West region. The partnership has developed an ambitious programme to support museums become more resilient, driving excellence, innovation, partnership work and organisational sustainability in the sector. The economic challenges of recent years have meant that many museums have had to fundamentally change the way they operate to adapt to the reductions in public funding. Providing services that effectively support museums through this process has been a priority for us. The programme has supported over 280 museums in 2013/14 through a local network of 11 Museum Development Officers (MDO), a regional conservation and collection care service and workforce development opportunities through the South West Museum Skills programme. Our Small Grant Big Improvement scheme awarded 21,400 to 43 museums to fund a range of initiatives. The programme has invested in regional projects to support museums with audience development, digital engagement, improving their retail offer and organisational sustainability. A key success of the programme has been the work done by the MDO team to facilitate partnerships between museums at both a regional and sub-regional level which has enabled them to access some major funding opportunities. The MDO team have directly supported museums to secure inward investment worth 790,455 in 2013/14. The South West Museum Development Partnership is distinct amongst Museum Development providers in that it has secured funding agreements with 16 local authorities worth almost 100,000 per year to extend the reach of the programme. The number of local authorities investing has grown in 2013/14 with two additional authorities investing and a further three committing to invest from 2014/15. Due to the success of our current programme we have been awarded further Museum Development funding for the period to continue to deliver a programme of support to museums in the region. In order to sustain investment in the programme it is essential to measure the impact of our ACE and local authority funding and to ensure that we advocate the value of museums and their contributions to culture, society and the economy. This report presents the investment, delivery and impact of this funding for period 1 April 2013 to 31 March 2014 alongside a snapshot of the achievements of the museums with whom the programme has worked. Left: Geevor Tin Mine, Cornwall. South West Museum Development Programme 2013/14 5

6 Museums in the South West OVER 8.7 MILLION VISITS IN 2013/14 A 1.8% increase on 2012/13 6,195,999 VISITS TO MUSEUM WEBSITES Over 1.8 million CHILDREN VISITED MUSEUMS Visits to museums help contribute 195,113,005 to our regional economy 11,013 events & activities including outreach hosted by museums There are around 400 museums in the South West, 207 are within the Accreditation scheme. LOCAL AUTHORITY INDEPENDENT NATIONAL TRUST OTHER An estimated 2,221 people are employed by museums, this equates to 1,328 Full Time Equivalents. 12,220 active volunteers in 2013/14 76% OF MUSEUMS RECEIVE LESS THAN 50,000 VISITS PER YEAR Under 10,000 10,000-49,999 50,000-99, , , , ,281,067 was received by museums in donations last year 42,659,391 from admissions and self-generated income, a 18.4% rise compared with 2012/13 13 Designated collections of national and international importance. 16,134 education sessions provided by museums 69,579,022 total turnover in 2013/14 1,142,221 volunteer hours were contributed by volunteers 15,728,383 the value of volunteer work to museums and their surrounding communities. 53 NUMBER OF ACCREDITED VOLUNTEER RUN MUSEUMS To find out more visit Note: Figures based on our annual survey of Accredited museums in the South West from 85% (175) of museums 2013/14 and Visit England data. Employment figures are extrapolated to represent all 207 museums. Comparisons with 2012/13 are made based on a constant sample. 6 South West Museum Development Programme 2013/14

7 Strategic Context Arts Council England is the national body responsible for supporting and developing museums. ACE invests around 40 million per year in museums through the Renaissance programme. This encompasses Major Partner Museums, the Strategic Support fund, Museum Development and national programmes including Designation, PRISM, the V&A purchase grant fund, subject specialist networks, the Collections Trust and the initiatives Museums at Night and Kids in Museums. For the period , the 3 million annual Museum Development funding has been awarded to nine regional Museum Development Providers, one in each English region. The funding is allocated based on population, number of Accredited museums, museums requiring Mentors and the geographical size of the region. Museum Development provides support to all Accredited regional museums, and those formally working towards Accreditation, in order to drive development and promote sustainability, resilience and innovation so that museums can maximise their benefits to audiences and communities. The Arts Council England s 10-year strategy set out in Great Art and Culture for Everyone provides the framework that guides the investment and support we deliver and our measures of success. The five goals are: 1. Excellence is thriving and celebrated in the arts, museums and libraries. 2. Everyone has the opportunity to experience and to be inspired by the arts, museums and libraries. 3. The arts, museums and libraries are resilient and environmentally sustainable. 4. The leadership and workforce in the arts, museums and libraries are diverse and appropriately skilled. 5. Every child and young person has the opportunity to experience the richness of the arts, museums and libraries. Arts Council England also administers the Accreditation Scheme across the United Kingdom. The scheme defines good practice and sets nationally agreed standards for museums across three key areas of organisational health, collections management and users and their experiences. The scheme has led the way in raising standards and acting as a benchmark supporting museums identify opportunities for on-going improvement and development. South West Museum Development Programme 2013/14 7

8 Goal 1 Collections Excellence 1 Excellence can take many forms; our focus over has been to support development around conservation and collection care standards, which has been consistently highlighted by museums as an area of priority need. Promoting collections excellence Funding a conservation development service ensures that museums can be supported to improve their collections care and can access expertise that many would otherwise struggle to afford. The service, led by Conservation Development Officer Helena Jaeschke, provides support through a variety of means including an and telephone advisory service, site visits, training and surgery sessions through county museum group meetings. The CDO can help museums assess the condition of their collections, advise on collections development policies, find specialist conservators, support funding applications and project planning. The service offers a central purchasing scheme, helping museums save money on collections care supplies and a loans service for essential environmental equipment. These items (flags and banners) are not only very often beautiful objects in their own right but also important as social documents recording the activities, values, concerns and issues that occupied the lives and minds of our predecessors. Gary Young, photographer for the Flying the Flag project Our Museum Skills programme also offers opportunities for staff and volunteers to develop their skills and practice around collections care and management. In 2013/14, there were 16 collections sessions attended by 267 delegates including art handling, collections reviews and rationalisation, emergency planning and working with community archives. Investing in collections Supporting museums to work together and develop special interest networks is an effective way to build and share expertise in collections. Over the last year the CDO has worked on a project with a group of 28 museums across Devon and Cornwall to improve skills and knowledge around conservation, care, handling, storage and display of historical flags and banners. The project, Flying the Flag, was funded through a 24,450 grant from the Pilgrim Trust with a 5,000 match from the South West Museum Development programme. A series of training sessions and surgeries were held at which more than 50 items, from small Scout group banners to huge ship flags for the Eastern Telegraph Company were examined and conservation reports provided to museums. Museums were equipped with handling and collection care guides alongside storage and display materials. The flags and banners were professionally photographed and these images will be made available as an online digital collection later in 2014, helping improve access to these remarkable collections. 8 South West Museum Development Programme 2013/14

9 Conservation Development Service year in numbers l 105 museums and heritage organisations received direct support from the Conservation Development Officer l 154 number of collection care enquires responded to worth 10,900 l 10,800 value of surgeries held at 27 local museum network meetings l 11 training sessions delivered through Museum Skills worth 6,600 l 9,600 value of the 24 site visits made to museums across the South West l 17 number of museums receiving loan environmental equipment worth 3,400 Bringing collections to life Following a successful application to the Art Fund Jonathan Ruffer curatorial grant scheme, Flying the Flag will be extended in 2014/15 to support the 28 museums collaborate on nationwide curatorial research into the stories behind these wonderful artefacts. These stories will contribute to the development of the online collection and eventually a touring exhibition across the South West featuring the collections of flags and banners that will encourage communities to engage with their local history in new ways. Museum Accreditation During 2013/14, the number of museums within the Accreditation scheme in the South West has grown by nine to 207 museums. We are one of only two regions not to have seen a decline in the number of Accredited museums and our MDO network works closely with museums to support them through their Accreditation returns and work on areas for improvement. From top to bottom: Banners from the collections of Plymouth Museum & Art Gallery, Mevagissy Museum and Grampound with Creed Heritage Centre. In 2014, we were successful in securing a contract from Arts Council England to deliver Accreditation and Technical Advice for museums in the South West, Hampshire and Solent. This will ensure that museums receive a cohesive offer of support and an enhanced training offer including six additional Accreditation Museum Skills sessions, while in Hampshire and Solent, we have been working with the South East Museum Development programme to deliver a series of jointly hosted support events. South West Museum Development Programme 2013/14 9

10 Goal 2 Audiences: Visitor Focus 2 The Museum of Somerset participated in our Visitor Focus project and surveyed over 1,000 visitors. Museum audiences in the South West have grown steadily over the last few years and museums have been highlighted as one of the fastest growing visitor attractions by Visit England. Based on our annual survey of Accredited museums there were over 8.7 million visits to museums in 2013/14 and millions more engaged through websites and social media. The focus of our investment has been in two key areas: working with museums to improve their understanding of audiences and supporting them to improve their digital engagement. Understanding museum audiences In 2013/14, our central team worked in partnership with the Audience Agency and 16 museums of varying types and sizes on a pilot project to develop a practical approach to audience data collection to enable museums to collect, understand and apply their data in a more effective and sustainable way. Participants varied from Bristol Museum & Art Gallery with over 500,000 visits per year to Athelstan Museum in Malmesbury with just over 10,000 visits per year. The survey was developed to provide insight on visitor demographics, profile, proximity and their likely behaviour using the consumer segmentation tool, Mosaic. Following a period of data collection, museums were supported through workshops to explore how this data could be used to inform audience development, marketing and business planning. The programme is continuing in 2014/15 and an evaluation will be undertaken in 2015 to inform future audience data collection initiatives in the region and to share learning about approaches that work across a variety of museums. 10 South West Museum Development Programme 2013/14

11 Audiences: Digital Engagement Better digital engagement The rapid advances in digital technology offer museums many exciting opportunities for new forms of engagement. It also poses many challenges in terms of what constitutes meaningful and quality digital content. This year the programme rolled out its digital engagement project that was run as a pilot in 2012/13. The project funded 16 museums to work with digital consultants to review their online activity, participate in workshops exploring what makes for quality online engagement and develop a digital strategy for engagement with target audiences. The project was successful, meeting its objectives and exceeding the expectations of participating museums and is running again this year, working with another 15 museums. Through the project a digital stepladder has been developed to help museums assess their online engagement and benchmark their activity. This digital stepladder will be refined throughout 2014/15 and will subsequently be made available to the wider museum community. To extend the opportunity for digital learning the South West Museum Development Partnership commissioned the production of How to training guides for digital tools including Facebook, Twitter, Google Analytics and Search Engine Optimisation. Case Study: Bridport Museum The museum was selected to participate as it is about to embark on a major redevelopment project and wanted to expand and diversify their audiences and find new ways of connecting with people. Consultants audited their online activity and led a whole-staff workshop to identify the museum s vision and explore what makes quality digital engagement. Since participating in the project the museum has created a digital strategy integrated with their Forward Plan and launched a completely revamped website. The most useful thing we took away was the advice about the strategy being an organisation wide activity; it also helped us come up with a vision for our brand and gave us the impetus to write our digital strategy Curator, Bridport Museum South West Museum Development Programme 2013/14 11

12 Goal 3 Resilience: Sustainability Programme 3 Supporting museums build their resilience has been a priority for us. The ability of a museum to be responsive to challenges and opportunities extends across all areas of their organisation and we have developed a number of programmes to support museums to work towards this. Museum sustainability programme In 2013/14, we ran a pilot of the South West Museums Sustainability programme, which builds on the Museum of London s Survive and Thrive programme, based on the Culture and Sport Improvement Toolkit. The pilot worked with four museums to support them to explore, understand and implement ideas and practice around sustainability and resilience. This focused on addressing issues of governance, income generation and workforce. Four museums participated: Athelstan Museum, Bradford on Avon Museum, Priest s House Museum and Garden and Portland Museum. The museums worked with peers, a mentor and their MDO through a process of self-assessment and review of their current practice which lead to the development of a two year improvement plan. Following the completion of the project, the museums were encouraged and supported to apply to our Small Grant Big Improvement scheme to secure funding to enable them to implement their improvement plans. The programme has been extended in 2014/15 to work with up to eight additional museums. Following this phase an independent evaluation will examine the impact on participating museums. It will also explore the feasibility of adopting the self-assessment and improvement planning framework as a means of engaging with museums and explore how the process could be integrated with Accreditation and forward planning. With the lease on our premises due to expire soon, we saw this project as an opportunity to help us evaluate our options. In the end, we got a lot more out of it than we expected. It was good to work in a team with trustees, volunteers and members all contributing different perspectives. The support from our MDO, particularly in the self-assessment phase, was invaluable. As the project progressed, the enthusiasm of the team gathered momentum. Towards the end, team members were keen to take the lead on the individual improvement projects we had agreed on. As we were just about to start work on our Accreditation return, the pilot came at the right time for us and has helped us to prepare the groundwork Bradford on Avon Museum, participant in the Sustainability programme 12 South West Museum Development Programme 2013/14

13 Resilience: Retail Assessment Programme Retail assessment programme An important aspect of resilience is a business model without over-reliance on a particular source of income. To help museums address and diversify their income streams we funded a project to support museums improve their retail offer. The Rapid Retail Assessment programme funded 10 museums to work with a specialist retail consultant. Site visits were conducted at each museum to assess the museums retail offer, its financial contribution, staff needs and priorities for improvements. A second site visit was made to each museum at which detailed reports were presented engaging the whole organisation, providing realistic recommendations and targets for improving their retail offer based on their staffing and financial capacity. Museums also received mentoring support from the consultant, including supplier lists and accompanying participants to trade fairs. Following the project, two additional workshops were delivered through the Museum Skills programme focusing on good practice across a number of areas - retail offer, customer knowledge, product development, visual merchandising, selling skills and financial reporting. The sessions were attended by 30 staff and volunteers from 18 different museums. Progress towards resilience Our annual survey of museums in the region highlights that progress is being made with earned income increasing and donations rising although many museums are still over reliant on particular income sources. We are continuing to support museums address this using our ACE funding to offer a second round of retail assessments in 2014/15, which will support a further 12 museums and extending the sustainability programme to work with up to eight new museums. We are also working with Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives, one of three ACE Major Partner Museums in the region, to develop a training offer that will support learning around fundraising. Our MDO team continues to support museums at a local level to collaborate and work in partnership as an effective means of accessing funding and maximising the impact of resources for both museums and our programme, helping establish a resilient support structure. Poole Museum s new extended retail space, updated following recommendations from the retail consultant. South West Museum Development Programme 2013/14 13

14 Goal 4 Workforce Diversity and Skills 4 The skills and diversity of a museums workforce are essential in ensuring the sustainability and relevance of the sector. Through our investment we aim to ensure that museum staff and volunteers can access the learning and skills development opportunities they need to support professionalisation, self-reliance and innovation. South West Museum Skills programme The South West Museum Skills programme is a highly valued part of the South West Museum Development programme, offering free training for everyone working in the museums and heritage sector across the region. The training is designed to be accessible to all ability levels and is vital to a workforce that is predominantly voluntary and in enabling new entrants and students to access sector specific training. Sessions are organised around three subject areas: organisational health, collections and communities and provide expert, focused guidance and best practice across all aspects of running a museum. In 2013/14, the programme delivered 26 sessions across the region attended by 429 delegates from 129 different organisations and resources produced by the programme were made available online. The programme is delivered by the South Western Federation of Museums and Art Galleries and supported by the MDO network to identify and plan training, ensuring sessions are held in accessible locations. l 99% rated their session as excellent or good. l 5% increase on those rating their session as excellent. l 74% felt able to share their new skills with colleagues. l 93% felt better informed. The reach and impact of the programme is extended through the numerous partnerships with which it works and was once again indebted to the venues and speakers who made no charge, which was worth an equivalent of 11,000 in added value. I really appreciate these training courses as they improve my professionalism and increase our museum s capacity overall. They are also important opportunities to share very specific information with peers which would not normally be discussed South West Museum Skills participant Heritage Volunteering Forum Set up in 2012 by our Workforce Development Officer, this network of volunteer managers and coordinators from museums and heritage organisations across the region exchange skills and knowledge and are supported to improve their practice through training. This year the group is widening its remit to become an advisory group to inform and monitor the implementation of our workforce and volunteer development strategy for South West Museum Development Programme 2013/14

15 Goal 5 Children and Young People 5 Children enjoy a new mobile art trolley at the Royal West of England Academy funded by our Small Grant Big Improvement scheme. Museums are places that fuel children s curiosity and critical capacity. They contribute to their development and wellbeing, inspiring future audiences and the next generation of curators. Our programme has delivered targeted support to museums to help them achieve meaningful engagement with children and young people. Our ability to support this engagement has been boosted this year through Real Ideas Organisation joining our partnership board which will bring our work closer together and increase opportunities for museums. Partnership with Real Ideas Organisation This year we have continued to build on our relationship with the ACE South West Bridge organisation, Real Ideas Organisation (RIO), aligning strategic programme delivery and utlising our existing networks such as the South West Museum Skills programme, Heritage Volunteering Form and regional and local museum group networks. We have facilitated sessions from RIO on the new curriculum, engaging young people through volunteering and engaging with the Artsmark and Arts Award schemes. We are delighted to be working more closely with RIO from 2014 onwards when they join the South West Museum Development Partnership board. Championing learning in museums Our MDO team works closely with museums and local educational organisations to identify opportunities to deliver quality engagement with children and young people. In 2013/14, our Cornwall MDO team have worked with the Cornwall Museums Partnership to establish a number of museums as Arts Award Supporters. Ten museums in Cornwall have now become official Arts Award Supporters offering activities including workshops and events that young people can use towards their Arts Award. In Cornwall this engagement has been supported by a Heritage Lottery Fund grant to deliver a young ambassadors project in 2014 involving a partnership of three local schools and three community museums. Young people will work alongside Cornwall s Regimental Museum, Perranzabuloe Museum and Fowey Museum to develop skills in interpretation and digital technology, as well as working towards Silver and Gold Arts Awards. South West Museum Development Programme 2013/14 15

16 Small Grant Big Improvement The scheme provides museums in the South West with access to funding for important projects and development initiatives that otherwise many museums would struggle to finance. In 2013/14, projects were required to address at least one of Arts Council England's five goals with a focus on Goal 3: Resilience for grants over 250. The scheme funded 43 museums for projects worth 21,400. There was a substantial increase in the number of applications and a broader range of projects seeking support in 2013/14. The scheme funded projects supporting vital conservation and collections care, audience development initiatives, income diversification, reviews of organisational structures and outreach projects with children. To maximise the impact of the scheme and to encourage museums to be ambitious, grants over 250 required 25% match funding and 11,391 was successfully leveraged as match by museums to support their projects. The scheme continues to grow in popularity and for the 2014/15 round the decision was taken to increase the grant limit to 2,000. Grant awards were made in April 2014 and there were 56 applications received with 33,225 awarded to 36 museums. Case Study: Portland Museum s new website ( The museum secured a 1,000 grant and 800 in match funding to develop a mobile and tablet friendly new website. The website has provided a smart online presence with virtual galleries showcasing the museum s collections with the facility to add audio commentaries, video guides and an online shop. The museum is volunteer-run and so the website was built on an easy to use Wordpress system meaning that day-to-day maintenance and contributing content could be done by multiple editors. The museum s new online presence has benefitted their sustainability by helping to reduce their paper-based marketing budget. Top: New shop fittings at Dr Jenner s House & Garden funded through Small Grant Big Improvement. Middle: New visitor signage at Dean Heritage Centre funded through Small Grant Big Improvement. Bottom: Portland Museum s new website funded through Small Grant Big Improvement. Total grant award by area 21,400 Somerset 6,373 Devon 4,792 Dorset, Bournemouth & Poole 4,077 Cornwall 1,975 Gloucestershire 1,500 South Gloucestershire 1,454 Bristol 729 Bath & North East Somerset 250 Plymouth South West Museum Development Programme 2013/14

17 Regional Summary CORNWALL 33 museums within the Accreditation scheme. Over 1.09 million visits per year 11 museums run entirely by volunteers. Combined turnover of 76.9 million. 2,156 volunteers contributed 215,255 hours. SOMERSET 21 museums within the Accreditation scheme. Over 717,000 visits (3% increase) 7 museums run entirely by volunteers. BATH & NE SOMERSET 15 museums within the Accreditation scheme. Over 1.44 million visits in 2013/14 BRISTOL 10 museums within the Accreditation scheme. Over 1.45 million visits (7% increase) More than 1,500 education sessions delivered. SWINDON 5 Accredited museums. 165,000 visits in 2013/14 11,548 hours contributed by 102 volunteers. SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE 3 Accredited museums. 172,029 visits in 2013/14 2 volunteer-run museums with over 110 volunteers. DEVON 47 museums within the Accreditation scheme. Over 1.5 million visits per year EAST DEVON 7 Accredited museums. Over 275,000 visits 5 volunteer-run museums with more than 430 volunteers. NORTH DEVON 12 Accredited museums. 370,610 visits WEST DEVON 4 Accredited museums with 185,301 visits 561 volunteers contributed 67,446 hours. GLOUCESTERSHIRE 22 Accredited museums with 630 active volunteers. More than 570,000 visits in 2013/14 DORSET, BOURNEMOUTH & POOLE 27 museums within the Accreditation scheme. Visit numbers estimated to be over 880,000 per year 8 museums run entirely by volunteers. WILTSHIRE 20 Accredited museums. Over 520,000 visits per year South West Museum Development Programme 2013/14 17

18 Cornwall Museums in Cornwall reflect a strong sense of place, showcasing its wealth of history and distinct cultural heritage. They inspire learning and enjoyment, contribute to the tourism economy and can be highly influential in promoting cultural exchange and supporting social cohesion. In 2012, museums in Cornwall established the Cornwall Museums Strategy, a joint vision and development plan which encompasses all museums. This has provided an effective framework through which the Museum Development team can work with museums to address their strategic objectives, focus training provision and support partnership working. The MDO provision in Cornwall is funded through a joint agreement between Cornwall Council and the South West Museum Development Partnership. Raising museum standards There are over 50 museums in Cornwall, of which 33 are now within the Accreditation scheme. Over half of these are small independents and a third are entirely volunteer-run meaning access to an MDO is vital in supporting museums to raise standards of practice. In 2013/14, the Cornwall MDO team provided direct support to 34 museums with targeted extended support for Penryn Museum to help them achieve full Accreditation and a further three museums to achieve official working towards status. The MDOs worked with these museums to address eligibility issues including governance and collections accessibility and to support them establish realistic and achievable forward plans. Resilience through partnership The Cornwall Museums Partnership, a group of six medium to large museums, came together in 2012 to raise funds and deliver programmes of investment designed to achieve the strategic priorities of the Cornwall Museums Strategy. The MDO team has worked closely with the partnership and Cornwall Council s Economic and Cultural Development Team to develop funding bids and have been instrumental in supporting smaller museums to engage in regional initiatives. Two major successes in the last year have been the award of 293,000 through the Heritage Lottery Fund Catalyst programme and a further 253,000 ACE Renaissance Strategic Support funding to support Cornwall-wide initiatives. The HLF project will deliver a two-year package of measures to improve skills and capacity around fundraising while the ACE funding supported a number of initiatives over 2013/14. Strands of the project supported by the MDO team included collections mapping and developing the Museums in Cornwall website, working with museums to improve digital access to collections, develop income generation through online retail and to provide enhanced content and online resources for schools. Total direct investment 2013/14-97,296 MDO & Local Authority investment 66,115 Conservation Development Service 8,524 Small Grant Big Improvement 1,975 Regional Projects 4,771 Museum Skills programme 3,233 Flying the Flag project 12,678 Additional investment levered and supported - 572,019 Funding levered with MDO support 24,055 Project investment supported by MDO 546,900 Small Grant Big Improvement match funding 1, South West Museum Development Programme 2013/14

19 Inspiring and engaging more people The continued development of the Museums in Cornwall website by the MDO team has been important in increasing awareness of the richness and diversity of museums and collections in Cornwall. The site receives around 2,000 hits per month, has over 3,000 followers on Twitter and new features include the history of Cornwall in 100 objects being made available and the introduction of an e-newsletter. The MDO team has coordinated the development of a World War One commemoration project, 100 faces, 100 stories. The partnership project involving Cornwall Museums Group and the Cornish Archives Network will tell untold and unusual stories and help bring new insights into the impact of the First World War on ordinary people s lives. The project secured HLF funding in June 2014 which will support a temporary exhibition and adapt the stories into a commemorative booklet with associated learning materials. The MDO team supported volunteers at Bodmin Town Museum to develop and coordinate an exhibition to commemorate the centenary of World War One. The project included the installation of an information panel in the local Finn VC housing estate, named after local soldier James Henry Finn, who won the Victoria Cross. Estate residents were involved in research for the exhibition and four students from Bodmin College designed the Finn VC panel. The exhibition, Conflict and Change, will run from October Developing volunteer opportunities A focus for the MDO team in 2013/14 was to support volunteer development, recruitment and training opportunities. They have set up work placements for students from Truro College and University College Falmouth at museums. 19 students were supported to work with museums, contributing their skills from a range of subject areas. The team also organised and facilitated training on topics including digitisation, collections rationalisation, retail and e-commerce and promoted volunteering in museums by publishing a promotional video on Youtube and the Museums in Cornwall website. A flag from the Royal Cornwall Museum collection which has been digitised through our Flying the Flag project and will feature in a new online gallery later in South West Museum Development Programme 2013/14 19

20 Devon It was a successful year for museums in Devon, which received record visit numbers. The museum and heritage sector in the county is very diverse with over 75 museums, of which 47 are within the Accreditation scheme. Over half of the museums do not have access to a museum professional and 14 of the Accredited museums are run entirely by volunteers. Access to the professional museum advice of an MDO and other Museum Development services is critical in supporting museums to build the skills and confidence to be ambitious in what they can achieve, meet professional standards and operate as more resilient organisations. Three Museum Development Officers, Susan Eddisford, Pippa Griffith and Alison Mills, support museums across Devon. The MDOs are funded through joint agreements between the South West Museum Development Partnership and a number of local authorities while in Mid-Devon MDO provision is directly funded by the local authority. Marketing Devon s Museums The Devon MDO, Susan Eddisford, has worked with the ACE Major Partner Museum, Royal Albert Memorial Museum, to produce and distribute the Devon Museums brochure. This shared marketing initiative, designed to raise the profile of museums in Devon, provides key visitor information and suggestions for visits. The MDO has continued to develop Devonmusuems.net establishing new education pages highlighting museums learning offers and supported a number of museums to engage in the first ever Twitter #MuseumWeek in March Sub-regional Museum Networks There are six museum group networks that operate across Devon. The primary network is Devon Museums Group which meets quarterly with additional groups representing museums in East Devon, North Devon, South Hams, Teignbridge and West Devon. The groups are supported by the Devon MDOs and provide an effective means of maximising the reach of the programmes resources, connecting museums with opportunities, developing joint initiatives and consulting with museums on local needs and priorities. A highlight of successful collaborative working has been the contributions made by Devon Museums Group to Devon Heritage Services project, Devon Remembers the First World War, which has included developing plans for exhibitions, special events and other activities such as talks and historical walks. Total direct investment 2013/14-99,804 MDO & Local Authority investment 56,626 Conservation Development Service 13,740 Small Grant Big Improvement 4,792 Regional Projects 10,069 Museum Skills programme 3,710 Flying the Flag project 10,867 Additional investment levered and supported - 69,542 Funding levered with MDO support 35,900 Project investment supported by MDO 32,650 Small Grant Big Improvement match funding South West Museum Development Programme 2013/14

21 East & West Devon East Devon Museums in East Devon are all entirely run by volunteers, with the exception of National Trust properties. To meet the Accreditation standard, museums require access to a museum professional and the Devon MDO provides this as Museum Mentor to five museums in East Devon, supporting them maintain or work towards achieving Accredited status. In recognition of this valuable service, Budleigh-Salterton Town Council committed to make a financial contribution towards the programme from 2013/14 and East Devon District Council have re-instated their investment from 2014/15 with a Memorandum of Agreement now established with the council. Over the last year the MDO has worked with Axminster Heritage Limited and Axminster Museum to support them scope the viability of combining the two organisations into one single charity with a museum housed in the planned Thomas Whitty House Heritage Centre. Proposals are being developed that would help safeguard and provide better access to the collections of both organisations including working towards Accreditation. Three museums, Allhallows, Fairlynch and Sidmouth were involved in the ACE funded Jurassic Coast Museums Partnership project, led by our Dorset MDO. The museums were supported to work with specialist design consultants Smith and Jones to improve interpretation and display of their geology and fossil collections. Shared marketing initiatives including an online Fossil Finder, funded through the project, have also helped raise awareness and increase access to the three museums collections. West Devon There are nine museums in West Devon, of which four are Accredited and three are National Trust properties, while the others are small volunteer-led museums. To support these museums the MDO coordinates the West Devon Museums group, which provides a valuable forum for accessing training, sharing good practice, collaborating and securing additional funding. We have an established Memorandum of Agreement with West Devon Borough Council based on their financial contribution to the programme. This contribution provides additional capacity to support the development of local museums and leverage to secure additional inward investment in the locality. This includes access to a higher level of grant available through our Small Grant Big Improvement scheme. Both Tavistock Museum and the Museum of Dartmoor Life have used this to their advantage, securing funding over the last year. Tavistock received a 1,000 grant to renovate the museum s entrance and shop area, while the Museum of Dartmoor Life recently secured a grant of 1,500 to purchase a new IT system to support them in their venture to take over responsibility for the local Tourist Information Centre. Part of the new geology display area at Fairlynch Museum, Budleigh-Salterton South West Museum Development Programme 2013/14 21

22 Teignbridge Museums in Teignbridge hold many fascinating and diverse collections and are an important part of their local communities. As small, predominantly volunteer-run organisations, the support of the MDO, Susan Eddisford, and the Museum Development programme can be pivotal in helping the museums realise their ambitions and achieve success. Progress towards resilience The investment of Teignbridge District Council in our programme has provided important additional capacity to extend support for local museums and help them to address their resilience. In 2013/14, the MDO worked closely with Dawlish Museum to address their long term sustainability helping them secure 1,000 from our Small Grant Big Improvement scheme and an additional 9,900 from the Heritage Lottery Fund. This funding enabled the museum to appoint a consultant to develop a new integrated approach to fundraising and income generation and produce a long-term strategy together with a two year implementation plan. The museum is now well placed to achieve financial selfreliance. Through participation in our Rapid Retail Assessment programme, Teign Heritage Centre received the support of a retail consultant to review and improve their retail offer. The consultant provided an on-site diagnostic visit and tailored report with recommendations to enable the museum to improve their retail offer and maximise its potential as a community venue. Ongoing progress will be monitored by their MDO and we will undertake an evaluation at the end of 2014/15 to assess the impact and increased revenue generated. Engaging the community Despite their relatively modest size, museums in Teignbridge are very active within their community. Between them, the Accredited museums provided 54 education sessions and 108 activity and event days in 2013/14 including heritage walks and craft fairs. This commitment to community focus is supported by the MDO who worked with Teign Heritage Centre to secure a 45,853 grant from the People s Health Trust to create an oral and photographic project that will enable older people living in the area to contribute their experiences and stories to the collections held by the museum. Championing Accreditation The Accreditation scheme sets the nationally agreed standards for museums and the MDO, Susan Eddisford, is a strong advocate for the value of Accreditation. Over the last year the MDO has provided significant support to Ashburton Museum to help them secure their Accreditation status for the next three years and to Bovey Tracey Heritage Trust who are now officially working towards the Accreditation standard. A special Halloween story telling event held at Teign Heritage Centre in 2013 funded by our Small Grant Big Improvement scheme to encourage new groups to engage with the museum. We receive fantastic support from our MDO Susan Eddisford on all aspects including support for a successful HLF Catalyst funding grant Hon. Secretary, Dawlish Museum 22 South West Museum Development Programme 2013/14

23 North Devon & Torridge Museums are an important part of the tourism offer in Northern Devon and their unique collections and the stories they tell are an intrinsic part of the area s sense of identity. Museums in Northern Devon are supported by MDO Alison Mills, based at the Museum of Barnstaple & North Devon and funded through an agreement between the South West Museum Development Partnership and North Devon and Torridge District Councils. Celebrating a unique coastal heritage Northern Devon has a significant fishing heritage and the MDO has worked to bring together a partnership of museums to deliver an exciting new project to celebrate and raise the profile and understanding of North Devon s fisheries sector. The MDO successfully levered funding from a range of sources including the North Devon Fisheries Local Action Group, grant funded through the European Fisheries Fund, and the North Devon AONB Sustainable Development Fund. The project, Fishing for History, will bring together museums, local communities and businesses to explore, record and increase accessibility to a wide range of artefacts, oral history and documentation from both the public and private domain. Supporting development initiatives The MDO has provided considerable support to museums to identify appropriate development opportunities that will enable them to build capacity and address their resilience. Burton Art Gallery & Museum and Combe Martin Museum were supported as partners in our digital engagement project in 2013/14 working with digital consultants to assess and improve their digital activity. The MDO also supported Ilfracombe Museum secure funding through the North Devon Fisheries Local Action Group for a project, Science at the Seaside, to explore the traditions of Victorian naturalists, collectors and writers including the museum s founder Mervyn Palmer. New research links with Exeter and Bath Spa universities will deliver new interpretative content for the museum and a programme of activities was launched in January 2014 including sea shore and rock pool excursions, science workshops, a writing competition and evening lectures aimed at developing new audiences. Views over the harbours at Clovelly (left) and Combe Martin (right) circa , part of the Photochrom Print Collection from the U.S. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. South West Museum Development Programme 2013/14 23

24 Somerset For many museums in Somerset, 2013/14 was a challenging year with adverse weather and large areas suffering severe flooding from December 2013 through to April this year. It was also a year of transition for Museum Development provision in the county as one MDO, Natalie Watson, moved on to a new career in October. The new (job share) MDOs, Rachel Bellamy and Elizabeth Neathey, joined the team in January 2014 funded through a partnership of Somerset County Council, South Somerset District Council and the South West Museum Development Partnership. Successful Accreditation returns There are over 50 museums and heritage organisations in Somerset, 21 of which are Accredited. The MDOs have played an important role in promoting and supporting Accreditation; 13 museums received support over the last year both to maintain the standard and work on areas for improvement. Three museums submitted their Accreditation returns in 2013/14 and all achieved full Accreditation. Digital developments Following the success of last year s Arts Council England funded South West Digital Development project the Somerset MDOs have continued to work with museums to improve their digital engagement and to enhance the Somerset Routes website, an online guide to the county s museums and heritage attractions. The MDOs have targeted a number of museums to help them make a step change in their use of digital and social media. Following attendance at a South West Museum Skills programme workshop on developing a realistic and active digital strategy, the MDOs supported two museums to participate in our digital engagement project. Improved digital engagement was a priority for both Glastonbury Abbey and the Community Heritage Access Centre in Yeovil. Working with digital consultants and MDOs, the museums established a framework for developing their digital strategies. They are now implementing new approaches including increasing use of their collections to engage online users, adopting a more conversational style on social media and developing online audiences through regularly changing content on social media and through blog sites. Drawings of redevelopment plans for Somerset Rural Life Museum including a new community learning space. The museum will re-open in South West Museum Development Programme 2013/14

25 Connecting museums with opportunities Museums often identify the connection provided by the MDO to the wider museum and cultural sectors as one of their most important roles. The Somerset MDOs have provided considerable support to museums to identify appropriate development opportunities that will enable them to build capacity and drive improvement. This has meant that museums in Somerset have been active participants in all three of our regional projects: Visitor Focus, the Rapid Retail Assessment programme and the Digital Engagement project. Eight museums in Somerset secured 6,373 in 2013/14 through our Small Grant Big Improvement scheme and a further seven museums were supported to secure 7,891 for projects that are taking place in 2014/15. The new MDO team have continued to support the Museums in Somerset group as an effective means to strengthen the local museum sector infrastructure and build peer support networks. The group provides an important forum for sharing good practice and receiving training, which in the last year has included how to write a successful grant application, marketing on a budget and briefings from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Voluntary Action North Somerset. Glastonbury Abbey. Total direct investment 2013/14-57,140 MDO & Local Authority investment 37,876 Conservation Development Service 6,536 Small Grant Big Improvement 6,373 Regional Projects 2,115 Museum Skills programme 4,240 Additional investment levered and supported - 5,541 Small Grant Big Improvement match funding 5,541 South West Museum Development Programme 2013/14 25

26 Dorset, Bournemouth & Poole Dorset s museums have collections of national, regional and local importance encompassing archaeology, natural sciences, literary, fine and decorative arts, costume, military and social history and much else. These museums are supported by MDO, Victoria de Wit, jointly funded through an agreement between Dorset County Council, Bournemouth and Poole Borough Councils and the South West Museum Development Partnership. This strategic partnership has meant the MDO has been uniquely placed to meet the specific needs of individual museums, help deliver the strategic objectives of the partners and engineer partnerships that can respond to local, regional and national priorities. The Jurassic Coast Museums Partnership In March 2013, the MDO supported the partnership to successfully secure 180,000 ACE Renaissance Strategic Support funding and has led the project delivery over the last year alongside Dorset County Museum, Lyme Regis Museum and Bridport Museum. The project involved nine museums across Dorset and East Devon, including a number of small volunteer-run museums, and was delivered in three strands: the creation of a shared approach to interpretation, development of new fixed and temporary exhibition materials and the transformation of the Jurassic Coast museums digital presence. This included the development of substantial online resources including Fossil Finder, a database which contains over 1,000 fossil records including star specimens available in 360 degree rotatable images. These improvements were coupled with audience development initiatives which included shared publicity and the creation of unique LEGO dinosaur models produced by British company Bright Bricks. These models were used in a series of Build a Brickosaur special events across the museums during 2014 to encourage new groups, particularly children, to engage with the museums natural geological collections. Raising standards of practice Much of the activity of the MDO is directed towards helping museum staff and volunteers to professionalise their operations and increase the capacity and sustainability of museums. This has made a significant contribution towards raising standards of practice, with the MDO supporting seven museums over the last year to successfully achieve full Accreditation and two further museums, the Bournemouth Natural Sciences Society and Purbeck Mineral and Mining Museum, to work towards achieving Accredited status. A LEGO Megalosaurus on show at Dorset County Museum. We have taken part in the Jurassic Coast Museums Partnership project and the MDO has provided the kind of overarching support which allows partnerships to function effectively Curator, Bridport Museum 26 South West Museum Development Programme 2013/14

27 Exploring new ways of working In 2013/14, we ran the Museum Sustainability programme as a pilot with two museums from Dorset involved: Priest s House Museum and Garden and Portland Museum. The museums worked through a comprehensive process of selfassessment with peers, a mentor and their MDO to develop a clear and targeted two-year improvement plan to tackle the opportunities and issues identified through the selfassessment. An independent evaluation of the pilot highlighted that while the process required a lot of commitment from the museums and for the MDO to devote additional capacity to support them, the programme did provide an effective framework through which the MDO can engage with the museum and measure progress. Major re-developments The MDO has supported a number of museums with their plans embark on major re-developments. In particular she has worked with Bridport Museum and Lyme Regis Museum to assist them secure Development funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and additional funding from Dorset County Council to provide leverage to help the museums progress their plans. The projects, when completed, will provide new facilities including new galleries and learning spaces, making collections more accessible for visitors and local communities. The success of these projects so far is testament to the hard work and determined ambition of the museums small and dedicated teams. A children s workshop at Bridport Museum, one of a series special events run as part of the Jurassic Coast Museums Partnership project. Total direct investment 2013/14-56,004 MDO & Local Authority investment 36,546 Conservation Development Service 3,145 Small Grant Big Improvement 4,077 Regional Projects 10,116 Museum Skills programme 2,120 Additional investment levered and supported - 250,745 Funding levered with MDO support 151,900 Project investment supported by MDO 97,000 Small Grant Big Improvement match funding 1,845 South West Museum Development Programme 2013/14 27

28 Gloucestershire The last year has seen many highlights for museums in Gloucestershire from the re-opening of The Wilson, Cheltenham s Art Gallery and Museum, to the realisation of successful partnership projects such as Gloucestershire Remembers World War One. Museums are supported by MDO, Julie Reynolds, who is hosted by Gloucestershire County Council Archives and funded by the South West Museum Development Partnership. Major funding successes Museums in Gloucestershire have been very successful in securing funding that will enable them make a step change towards greater resilience and the MDO has dedicated significant support to leverage this new funding. This has meant that the MDO has been able to provide a strategic overview supporting museums to integrate and collaborate on projects to maximise the potential impact of funding. Over the last year the MDO has worked closely with 14 museums supporting them to secure 146,000 of grant funding. One example is the success of the West of England Sustainability project which secured 58,905 ACE Renaissance Strategic Support funding. The project, developed by the Gloucestershire MDO in collaboration with the B&NES and Swindon MDO and Wiltshire MDO, will partner six museums, including one in Gloucestershire, with high level experts to assess their current economic situation and to produce tailored development plans to improve their economic sustainability. Learning will be shared from the project through the publication of case studies and sample economic development plans for small museums that can be adapted and used as templates by other museums. Achieving sub-regional resilience Gloucestershire Museums Group is a well-established network supported by the South West Museum Development programme through the MDO. This network provides a valuable forum for sharing skills and good practice, accessing training and establishing partnerships. The MDO has organised a shared Harwell Document Restoration scheme helping museums make substantial financial savings and manages Gloucestershire Revealed, a website aimed at promoting museums to visitors. Over the last year a successful pattern of sub-regional working has been established between Gloucestershire, West of England and Wiltshire through which a series of Accreditation workshops and funding opportunities have been channelled. This sub-regional coordination has reaped a number of benefits in terms of the efficiency and reach of the programme and has provided a model that we hope to implement in other areas over the coming years. Total direct investment 2013/14-42,651 MDO & Local Authority investment 28,600 Conservation Development Service 2,637 Small Grant Big Improvement 1,500 Regional Projects 6,469 Museum Skills programme 3,445 Additional investment levered and supported - 146,339 Funding levered with MDO support 146,000 Small Grant Big Improvement match funding South West Museum Development Programme 2013/14

29 West of England: Bristol & South Gloucestershire The last year has seen record visit numbers to museums in Bristol and South Gloucestershire with Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives becoming the most visited free attraction in the South West. The area has over 20 museums, galleries and heritage organisations including 13 within the Arts Council England Accreditation scheme. With the support of the MDO, Julie Reynolds, museums have achieved significant successes including securing substantial funding and collaborating in partnerships that will deliver major cultural events over the year ahead. World War One Commemorations The MDO supported the development of the South Gloucestershire First World War project brokering partnerships with museums, planning activities and was pivotal in supporting the council secure a 60,000 Heritage Lottery Fund grant for a programme of community focused activities. The project will increase public engagement with the anniversary through a range of activities including a touring exhibition highlighting the impact and change caused by the war, with contributions from numerous local heritage organisations. In Bristol, the MDO supported the Bristol 2014 project, working with the coordinators Bristol Cultural Development Partnership to ensure that all museums could participate and influence the project. The programme will include major exhibitions at M Shed and the Royal West of England Academy, a Bristol 2014 website, free app and book alongside resources to help people research their family connections to the war. Effective sub-regional working One of the most effective ways of maximising the reach of MDO support is through museum group networks. Julie Reynolds works closely with the Bristol and South Gloucestershire Museum Groups which provide forums for sharing skills and good practice. Meetings have included presentations on writing a successful funding application, education programmes and marketing. Over the last year the MDO worked with the MDO for B&NES and Swindon and the Wiltshire MDO to deliver three West of England Accreditation workshops to support museums going through their Accreditation return. These have now been integrated into our formal Accreditation support offer for 2014/15. Regional projects and small grant success The investment of South Gloucestershire Council in the South West Museum Development programme has meant that museums in the area have been able to access an enhanced level of support, including access to a higher level grant and museums have reaped the rewards. In 2013/14, Frenchay Village Museum secured a grant of 840 to undertake a project to photograph and document the history of Frenchay Hospital. The volunteer-run Thornbury Museum participated in our digital engagement project; consultants supported them to explore to how bring their website to life and increase interaction through social media. The museum has now developed a digital strategy and successfully secured a grant of 1,750 from our Small Grant Big Improvement scheme to enable them to create a new, more dynamic website. Recently we have been undergoing a rationalisation of collections, our MDO (Julie) provided support to find an expert advisor from a large regional museum to assess collections and helped find funding to pay for the advice Volunteer Curator, Thornbury Museum South West Museum Development Programme 2013/14 29

30 West of England: Bath & North East Somerset Bath is the only destination in the UK to have a whole city designated as a World Heritage site by UNESCO and this is reflected by a wealth of museums, which are a major tourist attraction, drawing visitors from across the globe. Our annual survey shows that visit numbers to Accredited museums grew to over 1.44 million in 2013/14, an increase of 5.7% on the previous year. The MDO, Elizabeth Neathey, works with museums to identify and work towards their strategic priorities, develop good practice and explore new opportunities, building their confidence and supporting them to realise their ambitions. Supporting transformational change The MDO worked closely with a number of museums in B&NES over the last year supporting them to secure major funding that will have a transformative effect on their operations and organisational health. A particular focus for MDO support, the Fashion Museum secured 57,550 ACE Renaissance Strategic Support funding that will deliver major improvements to collections interpretation, accessibility and the museum s premises. In addition, a Designation Development Fund grant of 90,000 over two years will enable the museum to create better access to more of their collection, especially two of the museum s important but largely unexplored holdings: The Worth Paquin archive and the Lace & Whitework collection. The project will be delivered through development of the research, care, documentation and accessibility of these collections and through skills development and knowledge transfer for the next generation of curators. Establishing effective partnerships The B&NES MDO has worked closely with her counterparts in Gloucestershire and Wiltshire to develop a project that has secured 58,905 from the ACE Renaissance Strategic Support fund and will partner six smaller museums in the West of England, including three in B&NES, with high level experts to assess their current economic situation and to develop tailored development plans to improve their economic sustainability. West of England Investment Total direct investment 2013/14-43,987 MDO & Local Authority investment 30,586 Conservation Development Service 4,250 Small Grant Big Improvement 2,433 Regional Projects 3,061 Museum Skills programme 3,657 Additional investment levered and supported - 733,996 Funding levered with MDO support 432,600 Project investment supported by MDO 299,800 Small Grant Big Improvement match funding 1,596 The MDO, Liz, is always there to provide an external perspective on the work that we do. We are so head down with the day to day, she provides support to give you more of a strategic framework Manager, The Fashion Museum 30 South West Museum Development Programme 2013/14

31 West of England: Swindon Swindon is famous for its railways and industry but its heritage is much broader than that and in December 2013 the Borough Council approved their first Heritage Strategy to establish and promote a stronger heritage sector in Swindon. A new local authority partnership In November 2013, the South West Museum Development Partnership secured a funding agreement with Swindon Borough Council to augment our existing investment in the area. This has meant that museums have been able to access an enhanced level of development support including a dedicated local MDO. This new partnership has come together to support the objectives of the Swindon Heritage Strategy and has already reaped dividends. A new home for Swindon Museum & Art Gallery The MDO worked with Swindon Museum & Art Gallery to help them secure funding from both ACE and the Heritage Lottery Fund to begin a major development and relocation from its current home in Apsley House to a new purpose built town centre venue at the heart of a new cultural quarter. The ACE funding will enable a review, consultations, plans and activities to be undertaken that will provide the tools, skills and information to create a resilient, sustainable and innovative new Museum and Art Gallery. The HLF funding will support a two year project to re-catalogue and photograph the museum s collections and celebrate them through a series of temporary exhibitions and community activities. Enhancing the value of volunteering Volunteers make up an important part of the workforce in museums and are increasingly taking on additional levels of responsibility. To support museums ensure their volunteers are well supported and have the opportunity to develop their skills, the MDO has coordinated the B&NES Museums Volunteer Forum and facilitated a Heritage Volunteer Forum workshop in Swindon on the Investing in Volunteers Standard. The groups enable museums to link with nonsector organisations, share knowledge, good practice and practical resources such as volunteer role descriptions and induction guides. STEAM had a very successful year welcoming more than 140,000 visits in 2013/14. South West Museum Development Programme 2013/14 31

32 Wiltshire Museums and heritage organisations in Wiltshire are supported by the Conservation and Museums Advisory Service (CMAS) and MDO, Tim Burge, funded by Wiltshire Council. In 2013/14, the South West Museum Development Partnership established a Memorandum of Agreement with Wiltshire Council and a representative of the council joined the partnership board, formalising and strengthening the relationship between the two. Above: The new Prehistoric Gallery at Wiltshire Museum, Devizes opened in November Right: Stonehenge gold on display for the first time including the famous Bush Barrow lozenge. The agreement provides a number of benefits for the partners and museums in Wiltshire. This includes shared capacity to deliver development initiatives, increased training and skills opportunities for museums, scope for joint production and commissioning of conservation and collection care learning resources and stronger shared advocacy on behalf of museums. Wiltshire Museums Group The group, established in 2012 as a peer support network, has grown over the last year and performs an important role in enabling museums to work together, develop collaborative projects and secure additional funding. One such success has been the development of a countywide project to commemorate the First World War. The project, Wiltshire at War: Community Stories, which secured Heritage Lottery funding in March 2014, will bring together a partnership of museums, libraries and communities to share and explore stories about life on the home front, creating an online archive, touring exhibition and education programme. This will provide a legacy of stronger links between museums and communities and an improved display profile and reach through working together in partnership. Promoting community heritage CMAS offers support to all museums and heritage organisations across Wiltshire and for community led initiatives to preserve, promote and share local heritage. The MDO has worked closely with Aldbourne Community Heritage Group, which is at the start of the process of forming a museum, advising on their constitution and establishing collections care and development policies. The MDO also supported a local group to establish the Brown & May Trust in order to take on responsibilities for collection items from Lackham Museum of Agriculture and Rural Life following its closure in South West Museum Development Programme 2013/14

33 Financial report April March 2014 Art Council England Museum Development fund award 447,000 Local Authority investment 92, /13 (8 months) 2013/14 Local Museum Development Officer Provision 259,327 was invested in our regional network of 11 MDOs (7 FTE) including 92,461 contributed by local authorities. MDO provision in mid-devon and Wiltshire is directly funded by the local authorities and not included in this figure. Total includes investment in a MDO skills audit and training. 119, , % Conservation and Collection Care This year the full-time CDO supported 105 museums and secured 24,450 from the Pilgrim Trust to deliver the Flying the Flag in Devon and Cornwall project. 39,595 48, % Workforce, Skills and Heritage Volunteering This includes provision of a part-time Workforce Development Officer (0.4FTE), the South West Museum Skills programme and Heritage Volunteering Forum. 35,997 34, % Regional Projects Investment increased as all projects came on stream, which engaged 34 museums in 2013/14. The projects were developed through consultation with museums and to align with Arts Council England and local authority priorities. In 2013/14 the partnership also invested in the digitisation of museum collections mapping, which will be made available online later in ,658 59, % Small Grant Big Improvement Funding was awarded to 43 museums in 2013/14. 13,226 21, % Regional Coordination and Communications For the period the South Western Federation of Museums & Art Galleries has been commissioned to establish and maintain a communications infrastructure for the region s museum and heritage sector. Through this they have appointed a part-time coordinator, developed their website including new resource and skills sharing sections, produced a monthly e-bulletin and support museum groups through county reps. 15,000 20, % Programme Management and Advocacy This includes the Programme Manager and Performance Officer (1.8 FTE), partnership board administration and a one-off investment in a new dedicated website for the programme. Alongside programme management the central team support the development of regional initiatives and advocate on behalf of museums to funders and local authorities to raise awareness of the value of museums and secure continued investment. 61,987 94, % Underspend (carried forward and spent by 30 June 2014) 4, <0.2% 304, ,000 South West Museum Development Programme 2013/14 33

34 Financial Overview April March 2014 Arts Council England: Museum Development Fund Award Total Arts Council England Museum Development fund award 447,000 Local Museum Development Officer Provision 166,866 Conservation and Collection Care 48,799 Workforce, Skills and Heritage Volunteering 34,824 Regional Projects 59,933 Small Grant Big Improvement 21,400 Regional Coordination and Communications 20,000 Programme Management and Advocacy 94,418 Underspend (carried forward and spent by 30 June 2014) 760 Additional funding secured and supported by South West Museum Development Local Authority investment 92,461 Small Grant Big Improvement match funding 11,391 Flying the Flag project (funded by The Pilgrim Trust) 24,450 Funding levered with MDO support 790,455 Additional project investment supported by MDO 976, South West Museum Development Programme 2013/14

35 Support We are grateful to the following for their financial and other contributions to the programme in 2013/14: Arts Council England Bristol City Council Exeter City Council Gloucestershire County Council Plymouth City Council The Pilgrim Trust The South Western Federation of Museums & Art Galleries We would like to thank the following Local Authorities with whom we have established Memorandum of Agreement and which support Museum Development provision either directly or through a financial contribution to the programme: Bath and North East Somerset Council Borough of Poole Council Bournemouth Borough Council Budleigh-Salterton Town Council Cornwall Council Dorset County Council East Devon District Council Mid Devon District Council North Devon District Council Somerset County Council South Gloucestershire Council South Somerset District Council Swindon Borough Council Teignbridge District Council Torridge District Council West Devon Borough Council Wiltshire Council We are grateful to the following organisations which made inkind contributions towards the South West Museum Skills programme including venues and speakers in 2013/14: Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives Chippenham Museum Cornwall s Regimental Museum Dartmouth Museum Dorset History Centre Exeter Cathedral Falmouth Art Gallery Gloucestershire Archives Lanhydrock House Lustleigh Community Archives Museum in the Park, Stroud Poole Museum Shaftesbury Gold Hill Museum ss Great Britain Tewkesbury Museum Trowbridge Museum The Archives and Records Association The Association for Cultural Enterprises The Bishop s Palace, Wells The Tank Museum The National Archives The South West Film and Television Archive We are extremely grateful to all those who work in and run the hundreds of fascinating museums across the South West for engaging with the programme in 2013/14. We would also like to pay tribute to all the volunteers who contribute their skills, time and enthusiasm which underpins the vitality of many museums across the region. If you would like this information in another language, Braile, audio tape, large print, easy English, BSL video or CD rom or plain text please contact: South West Museum Development Programme 2013/14 35

36 South West Museum Development Programme Annual Report 2013/14 For more information contact: Victoria Harding, Programme Manager Tom Newman, Performance Officer South West Museum Development Programme Bristol Museum & Art Gallery, Queen s Road, Bristol BS8 1RL design: agdesign.co.uk