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Agenda item
Resilience Project
Minutes:
The Curator presented a report which updated the committee on the progress of the two museum resilience projects.
The project, which was funded by Arts Council England, aims were to define the Museum’s core purpose and develop a vision to enable it to grow and develop its services to meet future challenges.
Finding our Place 1, commenced April 2015. A five-point action plan was developed to address the outcomes of the review and identify a number of short term actions. Eg internal signage. These have been completed.
Finding our Place 2, commenced October 2016-2018. Focuses on four areas of improvement, identified in Stage 1 of the review. Eg visibility; audience engagement and project expertise.
Finding our Place 3, will follow completion of the current project and will undertake initial planning for the development and submission of Heritage Lottery Fund capital bid. It will investigate new approaches to income generation and engagement with existing and potential audiences.
Applications to the Heritage Lottery Fund can be made at any time. It is expected the application will follow completion of the current Finding our Place project.
Councillor Street said the vision for the museum was narrow and needed to incorporate ‘visitors’ rather than ‘the people of Hastings’.
Mr Peak said the size of the archives would benefit from being increased by a large capital sum. The Curator explained storage was included in the capital programme.
Councillor Howard suggested selling items on-line as part of the income generation strategy. The Curator said it would be dependent on a number of factors: the Councils IT system to support the activity and staff capacity for people to pack and post items. The retail consultant will assess whether this is feasible.
Councillor Edwards asked how the rates were established and if consideration had been given to hiring out the Long Gallery and Durbar Room to local groups in the voluntary / charitable sector. The Curator advised the hire rates were determined by interest rates and staffing costs. Although the fees and charges were fixed for 2018/19, they will be reviewed by the Business Consultant. She said help is given to local community groups during the day time.
Councillor Edwards asked how much the fees for the Long Gallery were. The Curator advised the charge for half a day is £66, £132 for a whole day and £420 and £510 for evening hire.
Mrs Purdey said the museums fees were on a par with other museums. Maidstone Museum offer more, however their café is supplemented. She felt £450 was too expensive for the Long Room.
Councillor Bacon asked if there was a co-ordinated approach to working with 1066. The Curator advised they are marketed by 1066. She said the consultant will review this area of work. In respect of funding, Councillor Bacon asked if schools could pay for a box of loan items. The Curator advised him the service was free and they were recommended not to charge for the loan of the school boxes.
Mrs Barrett said that if the schools were charged a fee for the loan boxes they would not visit. She stressed the Consultants should be made aware that school visits would drop. The museum she said needs to be competing, the arts venues are second to none in Hastings. She recommended the museum holds concert events in the evening.
Councillor Edwards proposed a motion to recommend the resolution as set out below. This was seconded by Mrs Barrett.
RESOLVED (unanimously) that the committee accepts and is satisfied with the report.
Supporting documents:
- Resilience Project, item 111. PDF 123 KB
- Appendix A - A Five Point Plan for Transforming Hastings Museum & Art Gallery, item 111. PDF 62 KB
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