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Issue - meetings
Museum Update Report
Meeting: 08/03/2021 - Museum Committee (Item 15)
15 Museum Update Report PDF 275 KB
(Damian Etherington, Museum and Cultural Development Manager)
Minutes:
Museum and Cultural Development Manager presented a report to the committee on the museum’s work since the last formal meeting.
The visitor numbers in the last six months have significantly declined due to pandemic. During the period when the museum was open to the public, they reached 20% of the numbers for the same period of previous year, which is in line with similar museums across the UK. Due to ongoing pandemic restrictions, earned income is predicted to remain very low for 2021-22.
Grants have been received from the Arts Fund and Arts Council to continue the work of the digital museum and education activities This is helping to fund more digital education, visitor engagement and collection projects. There will also be more work with creative freelancers going on throughout 2021. Hastings Digital Museum has reached over 750000 people and 2.8m devices since its launch in March 2020.
The Museum and Schools Programme has been funded for another year by the Department for Education and Arts Council. The loan boxes programme is proving popular and introduced new digital services including blended learning workshops are being launched.
The Covid-19 secure measures are expected to stay in place when the lockdown will be lifted, and museum opens to the public. They will be updated in accordance to the national guidance.
The upcoming British Museum Spotlight Loan exhibition is being prepared with some difficulties caused by the lockdown. It is being co-curated with local migrant and refugee groups. A part of the What’s in the Box project is working with the local Syrian refugees to develop two works of art in response to the exhibition. The exhibition will be announced when the details are confirmed.
The museum received a significant national and international recognition for their digital services and response to the Covid-19 crisis. That included the Museum Change Lives Award finalist, Award-Winning Museum bronze award, and multiple national media coverage. The digital programme has been featured in multiple case studies followed by invitations to conferences and seminars in the UK and internationally.
The Chair thanked the Museum and Cultural Development Manager and museum staff for their work.
Mr Peak proposed approval of the recommendations, seconded by Ms Farley-Green
RESOLVED (unanimously)
To accept this report and recommend approval by Cabinet.
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My council
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