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Agenda and minutes
Venue: Council Chamber, Muriel Matters House, Breeds Place, Hastings, TN34 3UY. Please enter the building via the Tourist Information Centre entrance.
Contact: Emily Horne on 01424 451719 email: ehorne@hastings.gov.uk
Note: The recording of this meeting is available to view online at http://www.hastings.gov.uk/my_council/cm/?video=224198831
Items No. Item Apologies for Absence
Minutes:
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors T Dowling and Edwards.
Declarations of Interest
Minutes:
Councillors made no declarations of interest at this meeting.
Minutes of the meeting held on 13 March 2017 PDF 82 KB
Minutes:
RESOLVED – that the minutes of the meeting held on 13 March 2017 be approved and signed by the Chair as a true record.
Notification of additional urgent items
Minutes:
None.
The Committee welcomed Councillor Forward, Lead Member, as Chair of the Museums Committee.
Members were informed that Polly Gifford, Cultural Strategic Development Specialist had taken over from Nick Sangster.
Minutes:
Cathy Walling, Museum Curator, presented a report to provide an update on issues arising from previous meetings and confirmation of the Curator’s actions.
The Curator confirmed the 125th Anniversary of the Museum will take place on Wednesday, 16th August. The formal opening ceremony will commence at 3.30pm, followed by a programme of family activities and an exhibition of the history of the museum.
1. The Museum has completed an Arts Council funded pilot project to explore, through artist’s facilitation, how intangible culture heritage, as recognised by UNESCO, can be captured, recorded and preserved for the future and the valuable role that the museum collections can take in this. Artist Mary Hooper and the HFPS have undertaken a sharing event at the Angling Club to discuss with fishermen and their families, social practices and heritage. The Museum is exploring external funding opportunities for further work in partnership with the HFPS. Further updates will follow in due course.
2. The Geology Gallery has been updated to include new activities for children. The new display to the ceramics gallery will be completed next month to finish in time for school summer holidays.
3. A number of requests for reproduction of images has been dealt with by the museum:-
· Images of local windmills for a limited edition book on the Windmills of the Hastings Rape by Bob Bonnett.
· Copy of stereoscope image of Hastings Fishermen for use in the Fishermen’s Museum replica public stereoscope.
RESOLVED - that the Committee accepts the report and are satisfied with the comments in the report.
Update on Museum Resilience Project PDF 103 KB
Minutes:
Cathy Walling, Museum Curator, presented a report to update members on the progress with the Arts Council England funded Museum Resilience Project.
1. The Arts Council England Museum Resilience Fund successfully awarded £85,000 for a project to be delivered between 1 October 2016 and 31 March 2018. Finding our Place 2: Delivering the Vision will work on four areas for improvement identified in the Part 1 review:-
· Improving visibility of the Museum through marketing and promotion
· Audience Development and engagement
· Collections review to ensure effective working practices
· Business and project development expertise.
2. The Collections Review is underway and is 6 months into its second round. Staff have completed training in the updated MODES (Museum Object Data Entry System) catalogue software, and in the updated SPECTRUM UK collection management standard. The Collection review guidance framework and template is being trialled in the review pilot with the First World War collections. The pilot will be used as a basis for other social history collections in the museum. A documentation intern has been working with the curator on the WWI project and posters.
3. Several meetings have taken place with the Business Development Consultants regarding a draft outline proposal on developing the case for support, discussion and feedback. The next meeting will take place on 4th July. Followed by the final document by the end of July.
4. Museum staff have completed a self-assessment framework to develop a shared vision for a sustainable future. The following organisational goals were agreed:
Goal 1: Establish a shared vision and values for the museum
Goal 2: Grow the museum’s profile both within the local authority and the regional cultural and tourism sector
Goal 3: Increase the museum’s visitor base through a deeper understanding of its audience and non-users
Goal 4: Strengthen the museum’s participation in tourism economy activity
Goal 5: Improve facilities management and planned maintenance
These will be included in the Business Development Plan and will be subject of future staff training and mentoring from the Sustainability consultant.
5. The Marketing Intern is auditing the Museum’s current marketing outputs and has undertaken work on forthcoming events and use of social media.
Mr Peak recommended an additional Goal 6, stating the museum should receive sufficient funding. The Curator confirmed this is a goal the framework is based on.
RESOLVED – that the Committee accepts the report and are satisfied with the comments in the report.
Minutes:
Cathy Walling, Museum Curator, presented a report to inform members of two loans:
1. Turner loan to the Frick Collection
The Turner watercolour has returned from an exhibition at the Frick. It has been one of their most popular exhibitions with over 85,000 visitors attending. The organising curator at the Frick has written a thank you letter for the loan of the painting.
2. Loan to De La Warr Pavilion
Members were encouraged to see the Simon Patterson exhibition Safari which ends on 3 September 2017. Hastings Museum has loaned 57 items to the exhibition:- The items include ethnographic spears, clubs, paddles, oars and bows; framed and unframed photographs; taxidermy specimens; Sioux war bonnet; Grey Owl film costume; Piltdown skull replica; elephant tusk; carved column from Durbar Hall.
Mrs Barrett asked the curator when items were loaned to other Museums, whether Hastings Museum provide them with a brochure providing further details of what, where and who we are. The Curator confirmed this was undertaken.
RESOLVED – that the Committee accepts the report and are satisfied with the comments in the report.
Transfer of material to Battle Museum PDF 102 KB
Minutes:
Cathy Walling, Museum Curator, presented a report to inform members of a request from Battle Museum to convert loans into donations.
1. The Curator said she had received a request from Battle Museum of Local History to consider converting some of the long term loans to Battle Museum into donations. Most of the items have been on permanent exhibition for over 50 years and form part of the permanent display in their galleries. She said Battle Museum had requested that four items which were excluded from a gift in 1968: Stothard’s Bayeux Tapestry prints; mezzotint of Isaac Ingall, Isaac Ingall’s walking stick and the Allwork collection of Battle prints, and the four items loaned in 2003 associated with the gunpowder industry, become a donation.
The Museum Accreditation process very strongly recommends that where possible long term/permanent loans are converted into donations.
The complete list of items is:
1. Stothard's Bayeux tapestry prints
2. Allworks albums of prints of Battle
3. Isaac Ingall's walking stick
4. Mezzotint of Isaac Ingall
5. Eprouvette with V-shaped spring
6. Eprouvette with flint lock mechanism
7. 2 powder scoops made of copper
Mrs Barrett raised concern that the items would not be returned if Battle Museum were to fold. Apart from Isaac Ingall’s walking stick and Mezzotint of Isaac Ingall, she said she would be disappointed if these items were given in perpetuity to a small local voluntary run museum and were not kept as part of the treasures of Hastings. She stressed that there would be no control or legal entitlement once the items have been gifted.
Mrs Purdey sought clarification on whether Battle Museum held the original Stothard Bayeux Tapestry print and Hastings held a copy of it. The Curator confirmed that they were both limited prints which were produced at the same time and neither one was the original. Mrs Purdey suggested Hastings donate the Allworks albums of prints of Battle; Isaac Ingall's walking stick and Mezzotint of Isaac Ingall. She raised concern that if Battle Museum were to fold there would be no display in the Hastings area on the gunpower industry.
Councillor Street asked the Curator to explain what would happen to the items if Battle Museum were to close. The Curator said that as they were a fully accredited museum, they would not be able to sell items but would be able to pass them back to Hastings.
Mr Dudman recommended that there should be a written agreement with any loan which states that if Battle Museum were to close they are legally obliged to return the items. The Curator explained that this is what is covered by the accreditation standard and would appear on a standard loan agreement.
Councillor Forward asked why Battle Museum wanted the items converted to donations. The Curator explained that they had been asked to contact their lenders and turn items into donations; similarly Hastings do the same with items on permanent loan. She said permanent loans should be renewed every ... view the full minutes text for item 93.
Museum Attendance Figures PDF 101 KB
Minutes:
Cathy Walling, Museum Curator, presented a report to inform members of figures for attendances and educational activities and use of the website for the fourth quarter of 2016-17. Figures for January to March 2017 were submitted for comparison.
It was noted that the number of visitors for Hastings Museum and Art Gallery had increased by 1,846 for Quarter 4 when compared with the previous year.
Numbers of pupils in organised groups had increased by 315.
Participants in non-education provider sessions have increased by 82.
The Curator explained that the total number of visitors for the year 2016/17 was 45.497. This compares to 42,437 in 2015/16. This includes the 950th anniversary which took place this quarter.
At the time of the meeting, the number of followers on Twitter had increased to 1,382 and Facebook to 1,452.
The number of weddings and civil ceremonies had reached 20, compared to 18 for the same period last year. 9 ceremonies are booked for 2017/18 so far. The next wedding fair will take place next quarter on 10th September.
The Curator referred to the visits made by educational establishments during this quarter.
Erica Barrett commended the Facebook entries which she said were thoughtfully selected and explained with text and a picture. She also thanked the museum staff for being extremely helpful and always very welcoming.
RESOLVED - that the Committee accepts the report and are satisfied with the comments in the report.
Museum Events and Activities PDF 102 KB
Minutes:
Cathy Walling, Museum Curator, presented a report to inform Members of forthcoming events and educational activities taking place at the Hastings Museum and Art Gallery during July to September 2017, for Quarter 2. These included:-
Exhibitions
To 3 September: A Sussex Wave from Japan. The colour woodcuts of Eric Slater and Arthur Rigden Read.
To 18 June: People Object Place. A community project display exploring the heritage of migration.
24 June to 10 September: The Story of Hastings Museum.
1 September to 12 November. Cash, Clash and Climate. An installation by Maslen & Mehra in collaboration with local street artists Shuby and Delete.
16 September to 29 October: Changing Places. An exhibition of artists' video curated by Film and Video Umbrella, with works by Desire Machine Collective and Imran Channa.
Events
1 July: A Sussex Wave from Japan. A talk by James Trollope, author of 'Slater's Sussex'.
25 July: Hands on History, a family activity day celebrating National Archaeology Week.
25 July to 3 September: A special 125th anniversary trail.
16 August: 125th Anniversary Party - a day of celebration, and activities for all the family.
18, 25 August and 1, 8, 15 September: Local History talks by Edward Preston.
10 September: Wedding Fair with Empirical Events
Mr Peak asked if the museum planned to hold an exhibition on the suffragettes. The Curator confirmed that staff had been in contact with Women’s Voice and Ann Kramer to consider proposals to mark the event.
Councillor Sinden asked if the 125th anniversary celebration of Hastings museum will be inside the building or outside. The Curator confirmed the event will be celebrated in the grounds of the museum.
The Committee were informed that there had been 5 curators in 125 years.
RESOLVED - that the Committee accepts the report and are satisfied with the comments in the report.
Museum Acquisitions PDF 101 KB
Minutes:
Cathy Walling, Museum Curator, presented a report informing members of fifteen items acquired by the Museum in the last quarter and the names of donors. The items included: -
The following items have been acquired by Hastings Museum in the last quarter:-
1. Album of architectural drawings of Carlton Chambers by Decimus Burton
Donor: Went Tree Trust
2. Collection of Burton lithographs and drawing by Rose Wood, St Leonards 1848
Donor: Mrs G Bowen
3. Byelaws of Hastings, 1913
Donor: Mr K Fellows
4. Late 19th century guidebook to Hastings
Donor: Mrs R Wimmer
5. Hastings Electricity Department Test Meter
Donor: Mr J Scowen
6. 3 calendars produced for Lord Nelson Public House
Donor: Mr P Boyle
7. Photograph of AW Beckett's coal trucks parked outside station
Donor: Mr K Nunn
8. Engraving of Hastings Pier Pavilion interior, portrait of Grey Owl, drawing by Roland Jarvis, cartoon by Martin Honeysett, study by Dick Claughton, cartoon by Roland Fiddy, souvenir plate of St Clement's Church, Hastings souvenir plate.
Donor: Miss V Williams
9. Collection of local Second World War material belonging to donor's parents
Donor: Mr P Richards
10. Hastings Annual Review magazine 1988-89
Donor: Mr J Cox
11. ‘Watching the girl go by’, drypoint print, 2015 by Fiona Pienkowska
Donor: The Artist.
The Curator informed members of four additional acquisitions since the publication of the report.
12. Piece of Sussex Pottery
Donor: Evelyn Stubbs
13. Ceramic figure of Jack-in-the-Green by Scott Garrett
Donor: the Brassey Fund
14. Book of records and diary referring to Alexandra Park Bowls Club
Donor: Mr P Maylam
15. Copy of Sussex volume of the Domesday Book
Donor: Mrs G Pelton
RESOLVED - that the Committee accepts the report and are satisfied with the comments in the report.
Additional Urgent Items (if any)
Minutes:
None.
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