swfed.org.uk

Skip to content

You are here: News

Skip to content

Help secure Museum Development funds for the South West

The SW Fed is co-operating with Bristol City Museums & Art Galleries to run a survey of museums in the South West to confirm and update their understanding of what museums value about Museum Development services as they enter talks with potential partners to submit a bid to deliver the service in the future.

training - handling and packing Please spare 15 minutes to undertake the online survey NOW - timescales are tight: the closing date for responses is 10am on MONDAY 5th MARCH 2012. Access the survey here.

Left: conservation development and museum skills - 2 of the services paid for out of Museum Development funds.

This bidding process has been introduced by Arts Council England (ACE) following the closure of the Museums Libraries and Archives Council in October 2011, when ACE took on responsibility for museums, including the Renaissance programme which funds museum development.

SWFed Seeks Web Developer

The SWFED is seeking to engage a web designer, proficient in the use of Joomla to continue the development of the Fed’s website (www.swfed.org.uk) which was re-branded and designed last year. A budget of £3,000 (inc. VAT) is available for this work.

Tips to balance the books

How to keep your head above water, ideas to save and to bring in the £££s, sharing tips and learning from others. This will be the order of the day at the last of the Federation's forums in Bournemouth on 2nd March. Can your museum afford not to be there? pound_symbol

The two forums held so far - on Working with the Arts and Cultural Tourism - have provided a great mix of practical advice, case studies, discussion and theory to inform and enthuse delegates from a range of museums.

At Bournemouth Sue Hayward, Heritage Manager at the Russell Cotes Art Gallery and Stuart Davies, the consultant who wrote the original Renaissance in the Regions report and, closer to home, undertook the review of conservation services inthe South West, will be sharing their strategies to achieve the survival of the Russell Cotes as Reniassance funding ceases. Mary Godwin, now relationship manager (museums) at Arts Council England, will give us her key ingredients for museum sustainability.

Penlee House Gallery on a winning streak

Penlee House Gallery & Museum won Gold in the SW Tourism Excellence Awards for Best Small Visitor Attraction in the South West last week. This week staff heard that they have made the longlist of 10 in the Clore Award for Museum Learning for the archaeology workshops themed around last year's 'Treasures from the Earth' exhibition. No pressure: they are only up against the Geffrye Museum in London and the Florence Nightingale Museum! Good luck Penlee House.

Art Fund 2012 - Three SW Museums make the long list of 10 for Museum of the Year

P1030479_small M Shed, RAMM and the Holburne Museum have all won through to the next round of this prestigeous award. The museums, in Bristol, Exeter and Bath respectively, all re-opened last year after having undergone refurbishments costing several million pounds. All have attracted record numbers of visitors since they re-opened, confirming their importance within their communities as centres of inspiration and enjoyment.

Tell the judges why your favorite museum should win this coveted prize and get the chance to win an ipad! Go to the Art Fund website to find out more about each project and register your preference.