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Agenda item
Resilience Review Update
Minutes:
Cathy Walling, Museum Curator, presented a report to update members on the progress of the ACE-funded Resilience Project.
Grant money has been received from the Arts Council England Resilience Fund for a 12 month project to conduct a review of Museum Services ‘Finding Our Place’.
The museum consultant has met with museum staff and the stakeholders to undertake a review of the Museum services. So far the consultant has delivered a session on ‘Developing a Vision for Hastings Museum and Art Gallery’ and will be undertaking further training sessions on advocacy and customer care. The areas being considered in this part of the review are:-
a. The effectiveness of current governance arrangements.
b. An independent appraisal of the Museum's strategic positioning within the Local Authority structure.
c. An informed understanding of different models of governance.
d. Reviewing the Museum's 'Vision' with staff.
e. Training to assist staff in developing skills to advocate internally as well as recruit champions for the Museum.
f. A review of current workforce with recommendations for future development.
g. A review of income generation activity.
h. Production of action plan with recommended short, medium and long-term actions.
The Creative Consultants have surveyed 500 people via event questionnaires, focus groups etc to gain information. The initial conclusions are listed below:-
a. There is a surprising lack of awareness of the Museum by people in Hastings.
b. Those who know the Museum recognise its value but are oblivious to what is happening when they aren't in the building.
c. There is a lot of passion for the Museum but concern that only some voices are heard.
d. From non-users, they encountered surprise at how much there is to see and how good it is.
e. People value the old-fashioned feel of the displays but see room for some rethink and refresh in presentation.
Having completed their initial review of current spaces and emerging requirements, the Spatial Designers will be taking into account the public views collected by the Creative Consultants and their own research into visitor flow and requirements.
The final report will be produced in February 2016, with a consultation exhibition at the Museum; a sharing event and final progress report to Museums Committee will be in March 2016.
Monies left from the small underspend in the Resilience budget will fund a review of the Education Services and will focus specifically on the Museum's education service to schools. This review will draw on the findings from consultation undertaken in the other activity strands.
Steve Peak asked whether there were further plans for the museum in respect of the government cuts. The Curator confirmed that there was no current plan for reducing the budget and that reporting on different models of governance was a standard requirement of any discussion on resilience.. Furthermore, a full consultation would be carried out on any decisions made in respect of the budget process. Nick Sangster said the original reason for greater resilience that has been funded by Arts Council is that they understood government grants had been reduced.
Councillor Edwards asked the Curator if she was surprised by the fall in school visitor numbers. The Curator said she was not surprised and they had identified an underspend in the Resilience grant which will consider Education Services (schools) and will come up with some actions.
Martin Clarke sought clarification on the museums income. The Curator confirmed that there wasn’t much possibility to increase income in addition to current sources such as the shop and café sales, weddings and event hire. She suggested that if the café was enlarged it could help and they were looking at the possibility of selling reproduction pictures to bring in a small income. She went on to say that the Museum Consultant felt that the museum was doing as much as it could currently to generate income.
Councillor Street recalled that previously there had been talk about selling items on the museum website. The Curator advised him that the museums software does not currently facilitate it.
Marion Purdey suggested that there was very little information provided about the museum in the Information Centre. The group agreed that this should be improved and recommended that posters advertising the museum be displayed.
Members thanked the Curator for her work.
RESOLVED – that the Committee accepts the report and are satisfied with the comments in the report.
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