Memorandum submitted by the Museums, Libraries
and Archives Council
1. ABOUT THE
MLA PARTNERSHIP
1.1 We are grateful for this opportunity
to respond to the Committee's inquiry. This response sets out
the value museums, libraries and archives can bring to the Games
and how such a contribution will provide a legacy for people across
the UK and for the cultural sector as a whole. Our comments on
funding relate in particular to the museums, libraries and archives
sector.
1.2 The Museums, Libraries and Archives
Council (MLA) and the nine regional agencies work in partnership
to provide strategic direction and leadership for museums, libraries
and archives across England. Together we work to improve people's
lives by building knowledge, supporting learning, inspiring creativity
and celebrating identity. See appendix 1 for details of the work
of the MLA and the MLA Partnership.
1.3 The Partnership acts collectively for
the benefit of the sector and the public, leading the transformation
of museums, libraries and archives for the future.
1.4 Our geographical remit covers England
only but we work with our UK peers and partners and at an international
level to best represent the sector.
1.5 In May 2006 MLA, Arts Council England,
The National Museum Directors' Conference, The Association of
Independent Museums, The Group for Large Local Authority Museums,
The Museums Association and The University Museums Group, came
together to publish Values and vision: The contribution of culture
which set out the values and visions of a range of cultural providers
and identified the goals which would be achieved in partnership
with the rest of the cultural sector by 2015 if there was sufficient
investment in the sector. These were as follows:
— Public participation in cultural
activity will be one of the country's outstanding successes:
— Over 85% of the adult population
will attend, engage with or take part in a cultural event or activity
each year.
— 95% of all young people will
attend, engage with or take part in a cultural event or activity
each year.
— The national economy will benefit
from the creativity of the nation.
— Learning opportunities will be offered
to all by developing the cultural capital represented by our collections,
our skills and our creativity.
— Britain will be the key destination
in the world for cultural tourists.
— The experience of visiting a museum,
cultural site or arts event will be as good as anywhere in the
world.
This vision clearly aligns with the aims of
the cultural Olympiad. Museums, Libraries and Archives are an
important resource for delivering much of the Cultural Olympiad
and securing its legacy.
1.6 The MLA Partnership recognises the importance
of the Games and its legacy in achieving these goals. Our vision
is that:
Museums, libraries and archives will ensure that
the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games are an inclusive event.
They will engage with an emerging generation of young people,
celebrate diversity and help deliver the best ever Games, sustaining
a legacy for people in all regions.
We will champion the development of collections,
audiences and workforce so that the 2012 Games will be a transformational
event for the sector and the country.
1.7 Supporting the sector in contributing
to the delivery of the Games is a key part of our future Corporate
plan and significant resources will be directed to developing
our sector's offer. The MLA Partnership wants to see the Games
engaging people across the whole country and will be looking to
broker engagement across the sector to ensure a truly national
offer.
1.8 We have seconded a member of staff to
the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic
Games to share the expertise of the museums, libraries and archives
sector with those planning the Games. In October we are publishing
a prospectus to engage the sector and consult on initial ideas
for the sector's contribution to the Games. MLA's Chairman, Mark
Wood, is also chairing the group tasked to scope the Five Rings
Exhibition, looking at possible activities and costings.
1.9 MLA Regional Agencies are currently
working with other partners, such as the Regional Cultural Consortia,
in order to establish co-ordinated approaches to the Games and
their legacy by the cultural sector. For example, MLA West Midlands
is working with the Culture West Midlands to develop cultural
themes for the region, which will have a tourism focus.
2. THE COSTS
OF STAGING
THE GAMES
The remarks made below are concerned only with
the funding of the Cultural Olympiad and the role of the museums,
libraries and archives sector.
2.1 London's successful bid embraced the
founding principles of Olympism linking sport, culture and education.
Culture will feature in the 2012 Games in a way not seen at any
previous Games. A lasting cultural legacy will be a defining feature
of the Games and cultural institutions will have a key role in
delivery and sustaining the legacy across the UK. To achieve this,
there has to be long term investment in culture in the run up
to the Games, and a deep commitment to sustaining the quality
and availability of what has already been achieved.
2.2 We welcome the opportunity to support
the Games and are already investing in some of the key institutions
which will deliver a high quality Games. Institutions such as
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Bristol Museum and Art Gallery,
Tyne and Wear Museums and the Museum of London have all received
funding through Renaissance in the Regions. Renaissance is MLA's
programme for the transformation of England's regional museums.
It is the first central government investment of its kind for
museums, and presents a structure through which a co-ordinated
offer amongst regional museums could be developed and resources
directed to support. It is therefore crucial that this existing
investment is sustained, particularly as we enter a tight funding
round in the 2007 comprehensive spending review. Now is the time
to build on and develop this successful programme, which if cut
will severely curtail the capacity of the museums sector to support
and deliver the Cultural Olympiad and develop the UK tourism offer.
It should be noted there is no national funding programme for
archives, and whilst Framework for the Future offers a programme
for public libraries its focus is on improving the library service
and the repositioning of public libraries, and does not fund organisations
directly.
2.3 Through the official Cultural Programme
for the Games, the sector has already been identified as a key
partner in delivery. For example, MLA is leading the scoping of
the Five Rings Exhibition with partners from the sector. MLA will
also be looking to enable the sector to take part in other elements
of the official programme as these are developed. In order for
these official programme elements to be a success, additional
funding, from sources such as the Trust Fund to support sporting
and cultural activity, will need to support these activities.
2.4 The Games presents many great opportunities,
but we recognise it also presents challenges. It will require
cultural services to respond while at the same time diverting
the budget available to them. It will therefore be important to
ensure there is sufficient funding available to stage a Cultural
Olympiad which will impress both domestic and international audiences
and therefore to find ways to bring in extra external funding
for cultural events. Such funding must be available for development
of services themselves as well as for activities and events, if
a legacy of enriched cultural participation is to be achieved.
With a high proportion of museums, libraries and archives funded
via local government, it is also critical that local government
is able to support the role of the sector in the Games and its
potential legacy. Funds must therefore be channelled at local
as well as national level, and there must also be mechanisms for
independent institutions to access funds in order to engage with
the cultural offer. The MLA Partnership's Regional Agencies offers
a mechanism to channel any funds made available.
2.5 If the cultural Olympiad, encompassing
events across the four years between 2008 and 2012, is to be well
co-ordinated, DCMS will need to take a cross-departmental and
cross-cultural approach to funding, in order to ensure those within
the cultural sector are not bidding against each other. This would
support the aims of a co-ordinated cultural offer, which would
leave a legacy of enhanced co-operation in the future across the
cultural sector, and greater capacity to deliver co-ordinated
programming.
3. MAXIMISING
THE VALUE
OF THE
OLYMPIC LEGACY
3.1 With 7,500 museums, libraries and archives
across the country the MLA sector has an immense reach and forms
a national infrastructure which will be key to ensuring a successful
Cultural Olympiad and preserving the legacy of the Games. Two
thirds of the population visit museums, libraries and archives.
With 285 million visits made to public libraries in 2003-04, over
13 million visits made to Renaissance Hub museums in 2004-05 and
over two million people visiting an archive at least once a year,
the sector offers a means by which the Games and its cultural
Olympiad can touch the lives of everyone across the UK.
3.2 The Manchester Culture Shock programme
(the North West Cultural Programme for the Manchester Commonwealth
Games 2002) has demonstrated the reach such venues have alongside
major sporting events. 10% of visitors to the 174 Culture Shock
events were from outside of the region and a quarter from outside
of Manchester. 39% were attending Arts venues for the first time,
and 55% attending were non-white British compared to the figure
of 15% at Arts venues in Manchester in 2000.
3.3 We believe the MLA sector has five key
roles to play in the Games and its legacy: developing a world
class welcome; building tourism opportunities; acting as knowledge
and information sources for the Games; creating a record of the
Games; and supporting the themes of the Cultural Olympiad.
1. Developing a World Class Welcome
3.4 63,500 people are employed in England's
museums, libraries and archives. Another 24,000 are employed freelance
working for the sector and 22,000 work as volunteers. An important
legacy of the Games will be the professional development of this
workforce, ensuring a modern audience focused workforce to take
forward the sector post 2012.
3.5 There are many ways in which we can
prepare our workforce for the games and we would welcome investment
in training the cultural sector to deliver the sort of high quality
experience envisaged by the Organising Committee. For example:
— It is estimated that 70,000 volunteers
will be needed for the Games. Our sector is well-placed to recruit
and develop many of these volunteers in the years before the Games.
Volunteers have always been an important part of the museums,
libraries and archives workforce and the sector is keen to ensure
the Games is an opportunity through which this workforce can be
expanded, particularly attracting individuals from communities
who would not normally volunteer within the sectors' institutions.
Developing a diverse pool of volunteers will be crucial to provide
a quality welcome to visitors, as well as providing opportunities
for individuals to learn new skills and be a part of the Games.
— The workforce could also be developed
through an International Exchange Programme. The Exchange Programme
would develop and strengthen relationships between UK and international
museum, library and archive professionals to maximise opportunities
for cultural participation leading up to, during and after London
2012. A legacy of enhanced cultural understanding, professional
networks, new skills and friendships would be left after this
project.
— With the Paralympic Games being assigned
an increasingly prominent share of the Games time and attention,
it is an ideal opportunity to ensure that the sector further develops
its services to be welcoming and accessible places for people
with a range of disabilities. Training around disability awareness
will be developed, and volunteers from disabled communities also
encouraged. Physical infrastructure must also be considered if
disabled visitors are to access our institutions, and the UK is
to be promoted as an accessible country for disabled tourists.
2. Building tourism opportunities
3.6 Museums, Libraries and Archives form
a key part of the cultural sector offer in any tourism strategy.
Expenditure by international tourists to Australia who participated
in cultural activity increased by over 30% following the 2000
Sydney Olympics. Seven of the top visitor attractions in the UK
are publicly funded museums and galleries; 85% of overseas visitors
come here for our museums and galleries, whilst within the UK,
households spend, on average, £59 each week on recreation
and culture—more than on any other commodities and services
except transport.
3.7 As well as insuring a quality welcome,
if the Games are to generate increased tourism on a lasting basis
the exhibitions and events offered will need to be of the highest
standard. We are already discussing possible exhibitions ideas
beyond the official programme and how these can be developed to
draw people to the regions, for example:
— The West Midlands is looking at how
it can raise its profile as a cultural visitor destination. William
Shakespeare is already a major tourism draw but is not necessarily
connected with the West Midlands in the minds of visitors. They
are therefore looking at how this can be capitalized on as a broad
cultural offer that includes performance but also the places and
collections that relate to the playwright in the West Midlands
such as those at the RSC, Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and Birmingham
Central Library.
— MLA London is supporting the Mayor
of London's Tourism Vision 2006-16. Spreading tourism benefits
to the whole of London is a priority within Strategy, and MLA
London is working with Visit London already to promote the sector
in outer London boroughs with a new marketing campaign in 2007.
3. Knowledge and Information resource for
the Games
3.8 The sector can play a vital role in
the provision of information to enable people to engage with the
Games. Public libraries, in particular, are already a key source
of information and meeting places in communities. They are at
the forefront of providing universal access to information technology
and the internet, with over 30,000 computer terminals in public
libraries with broadband internet access providing over 68.5 million
hours of internet use every year across the UK. They will be information
hubs for activity related to the Games and provide a platform
for offering the cultural programme through new technologies to
the widest possible audience.
3.9 Through such a "community information
portal" libraries will be able to showcase to a wider public
their role as an information resource, leaving a legacy of improved
information provision and new users with a greater understanding
of the support libraries can offer them.
3.10 Museums, libraries and archives will
also be key resources for developing content for digital resources
around the Cultural Olympiad, supporting global links between,
for example, schools and learning organisations via the web.
4. A record of the Games
3.11 The sector is uniquely placed to capture
knowledge and experiences generated by the Games, both to stimulate
community participation, and as a formal record.
3.12 A "Games Living Archive"
could be developed by museums, libraries and archives, to trace
the effect of the Olympics on people from all communities and
from across all regions, from their initial hopes and feelings
about the Games, to the events of the cultural Olympiad, the Games
and beyond. This could enable local communities to record and
share their own responses to the Games and support the official
programme's aspirations in this area.
3.13 After the Games, all knowledge and
information generated will be housed in our sector's institutions.
Therefore museums, libraries and archives have a key stewardship
role which must be supported and effectively co-ordinated. Through
housing knowledge and information generated from the Games, the
sector will be supporting the capacity of the country as a whole
to learn from the experiences of 2012 and stage international
events in the future.
5. Supporting the emerging themes of the Cultural
Olympiad
3.14 The first theme of the Cultural Olympiad
is to inspire and engage the youth of the World. Museums, libraries
and archives inspire hundreds of thousands of children and young
people every year. They fire the imagination and inform a wealth
of creative responses including dance, music and poetry. They
challenge children and young people to explore their own identities
and connections, and to shape the cultural heritage of the future.
The sector is already able to reach large numbers of young people.
For example, in 2004-05, over one million school children took
part in museum activities, and 845,000 visited a museum with their
school.
3.15 Museums, libraries and archives therefore
have the skills and track record of delivery in engaging young
people. They will be a key mechanism for delivering the One Planet
Education programme in partnership with schools, offering links
across the world via the international collections they hold,
and in supporting the World Festival of Youth Culture envisaged
for the Olympiad. Discussion has already started around other
ideas to run alongside the official programme, for example:
— Sporting Heroes—Developing
engagement of athletes from previous Olympics and 2012 with their
local museums, libraries and archives to engage young people with
older generations.
— Sporting Fashions—The East
Midlands is already looking at developing fashion-based projects
including competitions for sportswear and sport-inspired clothing,
involving HE and FE courses with museums, drawing on the region's
rich industrial heritage of clothing design and manufacture.
— Olympic Dimensions—Most people
experience sport and the Olympic and Paralympic Games on television.
However, museums, libraries and archives could be ideal locations
to impart the physical scale of sporting achievement—simply
by using identifying markers and displays throughout buildings,
for example the height of a stuffed elephant might equal the men's
high jump record.
3.16 The second theme of the cultural Olympiad
is "Celebrating World Cultures and the Diversity of the UK".
Museums, libraries and archives have an important role to play
in promoting knowledge and understanding of diverse cultures and
in fostering a sense of identity and understanding. They are ideally
placed within communities to be open and inclusive spaces which
inspire, engage and inform people from all backgrounds. Through
Renaissance, regional museums reached over 800,000 new users in
2004-05, from communities who do not normally engage with museums.
The MLA Partnership intends that the sector will become more responsive
to the needs of people from diverse communities, providing everyone
with opportunities to develop their knowledge, access information
and build cohesion within their community.
3.17 The sector offers a key mechanism through
which to celebrate the diversity of the UK, through the unique
collections it holds from across the World. Such work offers a
legacy of community cohesion and greater understanding of diverse
cultures for all those taking part. As a result of the Culture
Shock programme (the North West Cultural Programme for the Manchester
Commonwealth Games 2002) there was an overall increase in organisations'
confidence about programming culturally diverse work and attracting
culturally diverse audiences. It is therefore important that the
Cultural Olympiad builds on this experience and through investment
in museums, libraries and archives, provides a permanent legacy
of such organisations developing as audience focused institutions,
which can continue to promote diversity.
3.18 Museums, libraries and archives will
need to work with all parts of the cultural sector if the cultural
Olympiad is to prove a success. Through working in a co-ordinated
way the cultural sector will be in an improved position to demonstrate
its united strength, value and capacity to deliver, putting it
in a better position to co-ordinate on future activities and programmes.
4. CONCLUSION
4.1 Museums, libraries and archives offer
huge potential for a lasting legacy to be derived from the Games.
We will broaden our audiences through increased understanding
and inspiration, and develop as institutions to offer world class
services for those within the UK and beyond. Only if funding is
appropriately channelled and the contribution of culture recognised
as a vital component of any Olympic legacy, will the true impact
of the Games be realised.
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