Written evidence submitted by Northamptonshire
Museums Forum (arts 23)
1. What impact recent, and future, spending
cuts from central and local Government will have on the arts and
heritage at a national and local level
1.1 There are concerns that scale of the
cuts will cause problems for the museum sector and will undermine
the gains of the last 10 years.
1.2 Many museums in Northamptonshire are
run by volunteers and the independent sector. Support provided
by REM has been vital to help these organisations to grow and
develop professionally and address sustainability and business
development issues as well as improving access to their services
and collections. Cuts to Renaissance or future funding for the
regions museums would impair this development. Through REM museums
and heritage have developed stronger links with the tourism sector
and heritage has been recognised as important. This needs to continue
to be developed and cuts could damage this.
1.3 Many of these organisations are a focus
for community volunteering and participation. As a result of REM
support many organisations are now in a position to lever further
funding into the county from HLF (This is evidenced by a current
increase in applications being developed in the county) and other
charitable organisations. Cuts would impair this development.
1.4 There are two museum services run by
local authorities in Northamptonshire and one developing service.
Pressure on LA budgets could cause cuts to services including
shorter opening hours and less programming. LA are also not filling
vacancies whilst cutting back on education activities and programming
which can lead to a lack of expertise in developing museum services
at a point when strategic direction is so important.
1.5 In a time of economic recession museums
can offer accessible safe opportunities for activity by individuals.
Places of art and creativity are nourishment for the spirit and
encouragement for everyone in times of adversity; these are vital
components for tourism, the economy, quality of life, cultural
creativity and personal well-being. In the current climate especially,
museums, libraries and other cultural services are at significant
risk.
2. What arts organisations can do to work
more closely together in order to reduce duplication of effort
and to make economies of scale
2.1 Many museums across the county already
work closely together through organisations such as the Northamptonshire
Museums Forum and on an individual basis. Organisations are also
brought together on joint work through the Heritage Framework
led by the county council. There is further scope for organisations
to work together, however this will require facilitation and support
to encourage this to take place particularly as organisations
across the county are structured and funded in many different
ways, and some may be run by volunteers while others run by paid
staff.
2.3 There is a need for museums to work
more closely with other cultural bodies such as arts, libraries
and heritage particularly around provision of learning services
to provide a more joined-up approach.
2.4 There is a need for stronger tourism
support for museums and heritage.
3. What level of public subsidy for the arts
and heritage is necessary and sustainable
3.1 The arts and heritage currently receive
a very small subsidy from government compared to funding from
other sectors. This small subsidy generates substantial gain through
tourism and arts industry. There are also gains in the community
through participation and volunteering, and opportunities for
vulnerable people. In the museum sector in Northamptonshire this
small subsidy through renaissance supports the voluntary museum
sector including over 3,000 volunteers and wider than this, the
local community.
3.2 Museums will require a mix of public
and private subsidy. Philanthropists writing to the arts council
have stated that there are probably not enough philanthropists
to support the sector and also cutting edge developments may not
happen under philanthropy or sponsorship.
4. Whether the current system and structure
of funding distribution is the right one;
4.1 Support for voluntary and independent
organisations is very important to help develop their sustainability
for the future and a strong business direction. Renaissance is
currently delivering this through frontline support for organisations.
Specifically in Northamptonshire museum development reaches a
wide number of organisations across the county. The Renaissance
structure in the East Midlands has the opportunity to link local
knowledge with a wider strategic view. It is important to link
the two perspectives.
4.2 Renaissance supports 51 museums in Northamptonshire
through museum development in the areas of sustainability and
business planning, collections care, learning, developing new
audiences and engaging with communities, and volunteering.
5. What impact recent changes to the distribution
of National Lottery funds will have on arts and heritage organisations
5.1 Freeing up more lottery funding for
heritage and arts is positive but as other funding streams decrease
this will become more competitive.
5.2 The application process is currently
very bureaucratic.
5.3 Many organisations require support from
development workers outside of HLF to develop a structure and
capacity to secure funding or to be encouraged to apply.
6. Whether the policy guidelines for National
Lottery funding need to be reviewed
6.1 Currently the application process is
very bureaucratic.
6.2 The focus on volunteering is good for
independents and the voluntary sector but if there is less local
authority and government funding for museums then the application
process needs to be made easier for local authority museums.
7. The impact of recent changes to DCMS'
arm's-length bodies—in particular the abolition of the UK
Film Council and the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council
7.1 The loss of MLA is particularly relevant
to the museum sector as this was the body that represented the
sector.
7.2 Museums are particularly important in
the current economic climate. It is important that we have a strategic
body with museums as one of its principal functions, rather than
a minor department in another quango.
7.3 It is also important that the following
MLA functions are secured: Accreditation scheme. Many museums
including volunteer community museums have worked hard to reach
the best practice of accreditation standards and need to be reassured.
— Designation—this is a lifeline
for significant regional collections.
— Government indemnity scheme.
— Representation of the museum sector.
— Renaissance (This funding has addressed
a previous chronic underfunding in the sector. Renaissance funding
is necessary to continue developing organizations to help improve
access to museums for all.)
8. Whether businesses and philanthropists
can play a long-term role in funding arts at a national and local
level
8.1 As it is now, funding needs to be a
mix from businesses, philanthropists, but also from the public
sector.
8.2 We currently do not have a philanthropic
culture in the UK. This would take many years to develop.
8.3 The cutting edge in arts and also some
work that involves making culture accessible is unlikely to be
funded by philanthropy.
8.4 It may also be harder to attract philanthropy
in the heritage sector perhaps where the outcomes of work is more
community focused and therefore less glamorous, and not as associated
with an artistic finished product such as an exhibition or performance.
8.5 Sponsorship may also not be applicable
as it is dependent on a fit with a company's principles and can
also create ethical problems. The American model results in art
activity through philanthropic subsidy often being restrictively
expensive and therefore not accessible to all.
8.6 It may be important to develop funding
from businesses and philanthropists, however this may take many
years to become embedded.
8.7 There are concerns that while philanthropy
may be attractive in London among the bigger institutions with
established brand, this is not so for organisations outside of
London and relatively small community museums and local authority
museums where philanthropy will not make up for cuts in public
funding.
9. Whether there need to be more Government
incentives to encourage private donations
9.1 Yes tax incentives.
9.2 But creating a culture of philanthropy
cannot necessarily be achieved through legislation.
August 2010
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