Manchester Museum – Claire Wood
Manchester Museum – Claire Wood
Cultural Olympiad & London 2012 Support for regional museums, galleries and collections Professional development opportunities ISSUE 10 JULY 09
Building momentum
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Cultural Olympiad & London 2012 The past ten years has seen a revolution in museum education. Museums have placed learning at the core of their service to the public and have developed extensive programmes, establishing their role as vital centres of knowledge. We need to ensure that museums remain at the heart of children’s and young people’s education and continue to innovate while reaching out to everyone in their communities. Nicholas Serota, Director, Tate
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There are about 1000 days to go before the Olympic Games start in London. But we don’t have to wait that long to get involved. As well as delivering a world class sporting programme, 2012 aims to inspire lasting change in people’s lives through an ambitious programme of participation and engagement. The Cultural Olympiad seeks to encourage involvement from individuals and communities across the UK, showcasing excellence and expressing the Olympic values of ‘excellence, respect and friendship.’ There is a wide range of opportunities to promote museum activities and develop partnerships: We Play is the Legacy Trust funded regional programme. It includes: Abandon Normal Devices – a regional festival of digital culture led by FACT, Cornerhouse and Folly. Digital work involving young people can link in with this project. www.andfestival.org.uk
Adam Naylor Whalley
Quaker Tapestry Museum
After months of business planning we are now at the beginning of delivering the Renaissance North West Business Plan for 2009-2011. Renaissance North West has an opportunity over the next two years to work with regional partners, inside and outside the sector, to make our services even more relevant to our users and more sustainable in delivery. Whilst this could sound like a dry, bureaucratic process, it is actually a remarkable opportunity. By 31 March 2011, we will have undertaken an ambitious programme of partnership working that builds on what we have achieved to date and achieves new connections and interventions. We aim to be in a strong position to sustain the important services we deliver for all users: schools, visitors, communities and tourists and we aim to be in a strong position to respond to economic and environmental challenges. Renaissance North West is investing over £3 million in a wide reaching partnerships programme. This investment must deliver a real step change in how we work and what we deliver. We hope that this investment will lever significant additional resources: we have already secured £3 million from the Regional Development Agency to raise the quality and profile of our offer in order to drive tourists to the region. There is an urgency now to get on and deliver: time is slipping away, and this opportunity to use substantial public investment for innovation and transformation in the region’s outstanding museums and galleries may never come again. Virginia Tandy OBE, Director of Culture: Manchester City Council & North West Hub Lead
Adventures in Landscape – led by Kendal Arts International and Manchester International Arts. Any arts work in the landscape could link with this. www.lakesalive.org New Cultural Journeys – developing trails for young people to access cultural opportunities along the Fylde Coast and there is plenty of scope to link with museums. newculturaljourneys@lancashire.gov.uk Expo Northwest – a series of events taking place between the Olympics and the Paralympics Games. Any events being planned for the end of summer 2012 can link with this. www.debbilander2012.wordpress.com Be Inspired – events you are planning that are inspirational, surprising, innovative, new and show a link to London 2012 can apply for the Inspire Mark. If successful, the London 2012 team will include your scheme in their marketing. www.nwbeinspired.com/cultural-olympiad Open Weekend – events you are planning on the last weekend in July can possibly link to the national Open Weekend and benefit from PR and Marketing from London 2012. www.london2012.com Small grants – Young Cultural Creators grants are available to support young people to write poetry inspired by collections. The deadline for applications is 19 July 2009. www.mla.gov.uk/what/programmes/setting_pace Nathan Lee, Regional Manager: North West, MLA For further information contact Debbi Lander at debbi.lander@london2012.com
www.renaissancenw.org.uk
Professional Development Opportunities
Manchester Art Gallery
In the current economic climate, all parts of the cultural sector will have to become more sustainable. Renaissance North West is supporting Business in the Arts: North West (BIA:NW) to develop free programmes to help museums improve their financial position.
Claire Wood
Business in the Arts North West
BIA:NW uses management volunteers from the business sector to provide advice and guidance to cultural organisations either through: # the Skills Bank # mentoring # identifying board candidates through the Board Bank. BIA:NW are currently exploring the range of business skills that will be of particular value to museums who want to become more sustainable. Where required, BIA:NW will find new volunteers to match museum needs. These services are well known to some organisations already, for example: # Norton Priory Museum has made extensive use of the Board Bank # managers at Tate Liverpool and Manchester Art Gallery have used mentors # The Atkinson Art Gallery and Grundy Art Gallery have both used the Skills Bank to examine their marketing. In fact, the Atkinson’s project led to increased visitor numbers and won their volunteer a Bravo award. For more details about these programmes visit: www.businessinarts-nw.org.uk or contact: Viv Tyler or Dorothy Taylor on 0151 709 8780
FREE Places at the MA conference Renaissance North West and the North West Fed are sponsoring free places at this year’s Museums Association Conference & Exhibition. The event will take place on the 5, 6, and 7 October 2009 in London.
Claire Wood
These free places are for colleagues: # employed at a museum or gallery in the North West # who have never attended the MA conference # who are MA members, will attend all three days of the conference and have permission from their line manager. Places are limited. To register your interest, please send your name, job title and organisation together with proof of permission from your line manager to: Alex Bird, a.bird@manchester.gov.uk 0161 235 8825 The deadline for registering your interest is 7 August 2009. The Whitworth Art Gallery
You can also apply to the North West Fed for a professional development grant to cover your travel to and accommodation in London. For further details visit: www.nwfed.org.uk
For more information about the event visit: www.museumsassociation.org
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Save the date The third annual Curating for the Future conference will take place on Thursday 26 November 2009. At a time of rapid economic and social fragility – locally and globally – museums are a symbol of hope and continuity. They offer both stimulation and solace, and furthermore they offer this for free. How can museums make the most of their collections at a time of perceived want in the world? The turn away from consumption gives museums a chance to advocate more vigorously their values of conservation, longevity and critical assessment of material culture. Participants at the third annual Curating for the Future conference will develop their understanding of this context and learn how to make the most of the opportunities it offers. Collaboration between museums and with other sectors (such as health, education and social care) will be examined as a key way to survive in this demanding climate. Further details about the conference will be available in the October issue of the newsletter and via our e-bulletin. To subscribe go to www.renaissancenw.org.uk To book a place contact Alex Bird: a.bird@manchester.gov.uk 0161 235 8825
Events & Training 16 July Learning outside the
classroom quality badge Chinese Arts Centre, Manchester. Organised by CapeUK. Contact Rosie Marcus rosie.marcus@capeuk.org 20 July Learning outside the
classroom – getting your quality badge FREE Manchester Museum. Organised by GEM. Contact Ellen Fenton education@nortonpriory.org 28 July Learning outside the
classroom – getting your quality badge FREE The Dock Museum, Barrow-in-Furness. Organised by GEM. Contact Ellen Fenton as above 10 September Preston Museums
Claire Wood
and Schools in Partnership: Literacy and creativity in the museum and classroom with Julia Strong, Expert Adviser, National Literacy Trust FREE Conservation Studios & Museum of Lancashire, Preston. Contact Lesley Parkinson, parkmedia@hotmail.com 10 September Pest monitoring and control FREE The Manchester
Museum. Contact Alex Bird a.bird@manchester.gov.uk 0161 235 8825 22 September Object assessment and condition reporting FREE
Manchester Museum. Contact Alex Bird as above 19 November Safe handling: objects
for learning – A practical workshop for learning and outreach staff and volunteers, looking at conservation of objects, handling guidelines and creating loan boxes FREE Lancashire Conservation Studios, Preston. Organised by GEM and Renaissance North West. Contact Ellen Fenton as above 3 December Object labelling and marking workshop FREE
Organised for Renaissance North West, Delivered by National Museums Liverpool, NML Training Room, Dale Street, Liverpool. Contact Alex Bird as above Museum of Lancashire
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Support for regional museums, galleries and collections
Since 2006, Renaissance North West has provided a programme of regional investment that uses the Museum Association’s Collections for the Future report as a model. The scheme provides benefits to museum users by improving access and use of collections through better collections development, care and interpretation. Building on the successful investment over the last three years through Unleash the Power of Your Collections, Renaissance North West is developing a support programme for regional museums that focuses on innovation, ambition, sustainability and partnerships. This support programme is aimed at partnerships that improve use of collections for demonstrable public benefit. Its overall priorities are to raise the profile of regional museums, to attract more visits, and to develop projects that increase environmental, economic or social sustainability. To achieve this, we will invest in significant partnerships – either clusters of museums working together or museums working with organisations outside the sector. We will support initiatives that can: # deliver effectively within the timeframe of our Business Plan # add value to Renaissance funding by levering additional resources # build on the achievements and learning from previous Unleash projects # extend partnerships and relationships # develop innovative and ambitious approaches. We want to strengthen the delivery and sustainability of projects and partnerships, by working closely with existing and potential partners to develop this programme over 18 months. Where museums require additional expertise or advice, Renaissance North West will identify individuals or organisations to help develop
National Football Museum
Claire Wood
the project. Our team will also be able to access expertise at the Museums Association to help inform projects. This means that museums will be supported to: # build relationships with partners # test ideas # commission feasibility studies # seek specialist advice # carry out research & evaluation # train staff. We want to hear from you now if you are interested in being part of this programme. Please contact Jennie Crawford, Regional Museums Development Manager, to discuss your ideas including the following information: # who you are, name of organisation # who are the partners you plan to work with # what you want to do # what you want the project to achieve # what additional resources you hope to attract # when you are planning to deliver this project # where the impact of the project will be # how it connects with environmental, social and/or economic sustainability. We need to hear from you by 4 September 2009
Lancaster City Museum
Claire Wood
www.renaissancenw.org.uk
Regional role of the Harris Museum & Art Gallery
Having Hub status has increased the opportunities to collaborate with other museums. This ranges from collectively commissioning research to better understand our visitors, to developing joint projects and programmes. The Harris champions the Preston Museums Partnership which enables primary schools to use museum resources to develop literacy – which was shown to improve attainment in writing in participating schools of 35% above national expectations for progress.
The Hands On Gang project (www.prestonhandsongang.com) has provided an easy way for families to plan visits and find out what’s on at all five museums in Preston. The Harris and Bolton Museum & Archive Service are involved in the Industrial Powerhouse programme to enhance the region’s industrial heritage tourism offer. Together we are working with other venues across the region to promote the North West as the cradle of the industrial revolution. During the Cultural Olympiad, the Harris is one of six partners in the North West delivering MLA’s Stories of the World initiative. The Harris will work with museums in Manchester and Lancashire to take a radical look at the region’s textile heritage.
Renaissance Learning Consultants Renaissance North West has appointed the following consultants to deliver the extensive learning programmes in Manchester, Preston and Cumbria. The learning programme is managed by Jane Davies, Educational Development Manager who has just returned from maternity leave, and Kate Measures, Learning Consultant. Debbie Walker and Elaine Bates are coordinating the Early Years and Family Learning Regional Network. Splitting the responsibility, Debbie, who works from home, will focus on Family Learning while Elaine will concentrate on Early Years and is based at Manchester Museum. Emma Parsons is contracted to assist the Regional Family Learning Network in developing evaluation strategies and methods (based at home). Neil Green is coordinating the Literacy, Numeracy and Key Skills Regional Network (based at home). Lesley Parkinson is Partnership Coordinator of the Preston Museums and Schools Partnership (based at home). Mary-Ann Lancaster, Heather Tipler and Anna Hall are coordinating the three Cumbria Learning Networks (all based at home). Renaissance North West is also supporting posts that are based within Manchester City and Bolton Councils. They work across different local authority departments to benefit the museum and gallery offer: Julie Howse is the Primary Consultant for the MAGPIE literacy project based at Manchester Children’s Services. Joanne Steele is the Primary Consultant for the Bolton Find Your Talent project based at Bolton Children’s Services.
www.renaissancenw.org.uk
Contact the Renaissance North West team
The influence of Renaissance in the Regions has had a transformational effect on the Harris Museum and Art Gallery, enabling us to achieve many long-held ambitions.
To coincide with the Olympics, the Harris and the neighbouring Museum of Lancashire are planning capital developments for the Preston Guild in 2012. For the Harris this means revamping the history gallery to do justice to the rich heritage of the city. Working together on these joint projects has helped unlock creativity and share learning which is enabling the museums in the region to provide a more exciting offer for all our visitors. Alex Walker, Head of Arts & Heritage Harris Museum & Art Gallery
Emma Anderson, Renaissance North West Manager 0161 235 8822 e.anderson@manchester.gov.uk Myna Trustram, Research Manager 0161 235 8849 m.trustram@manchester.gov.uk Jennie Crawford, Regional Museums Development Manager 0161 235 8810 j.crawford@manchester.gov.uk Katie Athey, Events & Communications Support Officer (currently on maternity leave)
0161 235 8825 k.athey@manchester.gov.uk Alex Bird, Events & Communications Support Officer (maternity cover) 0161 235 8825 a.bird@manchester.gov.uk Kaye Tetlow, Collections Care Liaison Officer 07500 065537 kaye.tetlow@lancashire.gov.uk Jane Davies (nee Fletcher), Education Development Manager 01228 618767 / 07854 921522 janef@carlisle.gov.uk Kate Measures, Leaning Development Consultant 0113 2582290 / 07966 298516 katemeasures@hotmail.co.uk Brendan Parker, Finance & Performance Manager 0161 235 8872 b.parker@manchester.gov.uk We have appointed Julian Andrejczuk as Workforce & Skills Development Officer and Sarah Cooper as Accreditation, Standards & Review Officer. Contact details were not available when we went to print. To get in touch, contact Alex Bird. To help protect the environment, this publication is printed on stock from renewable/sustainable sources using only organic based vegetable inks.