Museums Galleries Scotland’s Post

Really important point about the interdependencies of the museums sector and links to historical analysis.

What is a country if it does not record its triumphs and disasters in order to learn from them? Where do we store, share and celebrate our heritage, our stories? That’s why the heritage and cultural sectors matter.

“We need to value the small museums as we value the large ones, because the interdependencies there that we have are absolutely critical.” Today our CEO Lucy Casot made the case for museum sector funding at the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee’s pre-budget scrutiny for 2025-26. Questions and topics raised included: 🏛️ the importance of museums and galleries to Scotland 💰 funding for museums and galleries of all sizes 📈 the need for a long-term approach to investment 🧮 unlocking cross-portfolio funding for a sector that delivers known impacts across education, health, and wellbeing. The evidence we submitted to the Committee was informed by the results of our recent sector-wide survey, which revealed that 11% of respondents felt their organisations were at risk of closure in the next 12 months. Our submission highlighted that Scotland’s museums and galleries are in crisis, and require investment to address capacity issues and workforce reductions. You can find a recording of the full session here: https://lnkd.in/diyQ56Yv ©️ This post contains information licensed under the Scottish Parliament Copyright Licence.

British Museum Forced To Partly Close After Alleged IT Attack By Former Employee: The British Museum was partly closed after a dismissed IT contractor trespassed, shutting down systems including its ticketing platform. The move disrupted operations and forced the closure of temporary exhibitions. The Guardian reports: While the museum will remain open this weekend, only a handful of ticket holders will be able to access its paid-for exhibitions, such as its Silk Roads show, because the IT system that manages bookings has been rendered unusable. The incident caused chaos in the middle of a busy Friday afternoon and is the latest security issue to blight the institution. A statement on the museum's website on Friday said that "due to an IT infrastructure issue some galleries have had to be closed. Please note that this means capacity will be limited, and priority will be given to members and pre-booked ticket holders. Currently our exhibitions remain closed." Read more of this story at Slashdot.

British Museum Forced To Partly Close After Alleged IT Attack By Former Employee: The British Museum was partly closed after a dismissed IT contractor trespassed, shutting down systems including its ticketing platform. The move disrupted operations and forced the closure of temporary exhibitions. The Guardian reports: While the museum will remain open this weekend, only a handful of ticket holders will be able to access its paid-for exhibitions, such as its Silk Roads show, because the IT system that manages bookings has been rendered unusable. The incident caused chaos in the middle of a busy Friday afternoon and is the latest security issue to blight the institution. A statement on the museum's website on Friday said that "due to an IT infrastructure issue some galleries have had to be closed. Please note that this means capacity will be limited, and priority will be given to members and pre-booked ticket holders. Currently our exhibitions remain closed." Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Aberdeen Performing Arts has joined over 100 Scottish organisations in an open letter to express our grave and deep concern over the Scottish Government's failure to provide certainty surrounding the £6.6 million Grant in Aid budget for Creative Scotland, resulting in the abrupt closure of the Open Fund for Individuals, the primary route to public funding for Scottish Artists to develop their projects. The resilience of Scotland’s cultural sector is not infinite. Artists cannot continue to bear the burden of delayed and inadequate support. We strongly urge the Scottish Government to recognise the severity of this situation and take immediate action to release the necessary funds to Creative Scotland, allowing the Open Fund for Individuals to be reinstated. This is a necessary first step towards securing the future of the arts in Scotland, but alone it is not enough to reverse decades of shrinking support. It is now more vital than ever that the Scottish Government follows through on its promises to “more than double” investment in arts and culture and we seek urgent clarification on the timeline and mechanisms for delivering the pledged £100m increase in funding by 2028-29. Read the full letter here: https://lnkd.in/eSYJW_kk

In light of the US elections, I wanted to share a few ways on how in the UK, politics and government work / influence community museums and galleries through funding, policy, and local government support. 1. Funding     - National Bodies: Organisations like Arts Council England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund provide essential grants, shaped by government priorities like diversity and social inclusion.   - Local Councils: Local authorities allocate funding but often face budget constraints, which can impact the extent of support for museums. 2. Policy and Community Engagement   - Government policies encourage museums to support education, social cohesion, and mental well-being, often by collaborating with schools and hosting community events.   - Museums may adapt programs to align with broader goals, such as environmental awareness or regional heritage, to secure funding and support. 3. Local Influence and Advocacy     - Political shifts impact funding levels and policy support; councils prioritise resources differently, affecting museum operations.   - Associations like the Museums Association lobby for fair policies and funding, especially to support smaller, independent institutions. 4. Economic Impact   - Museums drive tourism and local economic growth, leading councils to sometimes invest in them as part of economic regeneration efforts. In short, UK government and local councils shape the funding, policies, and community roles of museums, with shifts in political priorities directly influencing museum operations and their ability to serve communities. #art #funding #politics #museums

Doing things differently…

The Scottish arts sector is facing 'devastating' budget cuts. The funding crisis also extends to museums wiith reports suggesting up to 45 may close within the next 12 months due to financial challenges. It is crucial for all involved in the arts and heritage sector to highlight the positive impact we create daily and urge the Government and MSPs to address this pressing issue. #ArtsFunding #ScottishArts #CulturalHeritage #GovernmentSupport

🔈 Creative Scotland are planning to cancel the Open Fund for Individuals, which means artists, writers, dancers, performers and others in the creative industries will no longer have access to government funding for their projects. This is very bad news for the arts in Scotland. As the Fringe festival draws to a close here in Edinburgh, I can't help but think of all the rare talent whose opportunities would be significantly knocked if these plans go ahead. Art is important. Ideas are important. In an industry that is already chronically underfunded/valued, resources like these are important. You can read more about the issue below, and please consider signing the petition and sharing. P.S. If you have a creative project you need help to get off the ground, I would urge you to apply for the Open Fund for Individuals while you still can. The fund is due to close its applications by next Friday 30th August at 2pm. (Hopefully it doesn't, but no time like the present ⏲). You can find more info on applying here: https://lnkd.in/emwZnQPA Sign petition to keep fund open here: https://lnkd.in/eHdDngjn #CreativeScotland #ScottishCreatives #EdinburghCreatives #CampaignForTheArts