Agenda item

To receive a presentation from Joanna Cairns, South West Museum Development.

Jo Cairns, Museum Development Officer for Museum Development South West (MDSW) gave the Forum some background to MDSW.  They were a team of museum and heritage development specialists working with the museum and heritage sector in the South West to effect positive, lasting change and deliver public value.  MDSW was an Arts Council England funded Investment Principles Support Organisation and was one of five museum development providers across England supporting accredited museums.

In the South West 78% of museums were independent charities, compared to 65% nationally.  47% of museums were ‘micro’, with fewer than 10,000 visitors annually.  Visitor numbers were down by 2% in the South West in 2023/24 on 2019/20.  39% of the museums in the South West were wholly volunteer run, with 7 volunteers to every one paid member of staff in the South West (compared to five volunteers to one paid member of staff nationally).  32% of South West museums reported an annual turnover of less than £25,000 in 2022/23 (national average was 28%).  These regional statistics highlighted the need for professional support from MDSW.

The key services of MDSW were:

·        Local, place based Museum Development Officers.

·        Small grants programmes and funding support.

·        Skills and training networks.

·        Specialist support in collections and volunteering.

·        Organisational development and technical accreditation.

·        Communications, advocacy and resources.

·        Secure funding for projects.

MDSW worked in partnership with EDDC with funding provided through the Shared Prosperity Fund.  There were four accredited museums receiving support (Allhallows Museum, Sidmouth Museum, Fairlynch Museum and Arts Centre, Axminster Heritage Centre) and there were five others not yet accredited, but still receiving support due to funding from EDDC (Exmouth Museum, Seaton Museum, Ottery St Mary Heritage Museum, Whimple Heritage Centre, South West Airfield Heritage Trust).  Projects delivered in 2024/25 included:

·        Photographic collections project.

·        Caring for and displaying costume training session.

·        Accreditation training session.

·        Development support for the National Lottery project grant application for the Our Wild and Changing Estuaries Project.

The Museum Development Officer explained that in 2023/24 EDDC received a 300% return on its investment from MDSW.  It received:

·        £4,685 in Museum Development Officer support.

·        Technical accreditation support to two museums.

·        Accreditation advice to submit eligibility for Whimple Heritage, Exmouth Museum and Seaton Museum.

·        £1,264 specialist officer support in collections and digital.

·        One participant in Volunteering Fit for the Future at £1,400 (Exmouth Museum – dedicated volunteer management consultancy).

·        18 training attendances at 13 training sessions from 3 museums at £986.

·        One On Display! grant awarded at £1,000 (Axminster Heritage Centre – Thomas Whitty Rug) which enabled a total project valued at £5,735.

During the first two quarters of 2024/25 EDDC had invested £1,500 and generated £2,342 in Museum Development Officer support and £330 in museum skills.

It was noted that Arts Council funding was received by MDSW for accredited museums.  The accreditation scheme run by Arts Council England ensured that museums were adhering to a certain standard.  A return had to be submitted every five years to the Arts Council to demonstrate the museum was still adhering to the particular criteria.  Being accredited showed that a museum was working to a particular standard and opened up opportunities for grants as a lot of funding was only open to accredited museums.

On behalf of the Forum the Chair thanked the Museum Development Officer for her presentation.