Written evidence submitted by Chard and
District Museum (arts 103)
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.
Chard and District Museum rents its premises
from South Somerset District Council on a fully repairing lease.
For the last 40 years the district council has given a grant that
exactly covered the rent. The museum was able to generate additional
funds from admissions, donations, "Friends of the Museum",
gift aid, shop sales and events that covered its other current
expenses. Any, invariably small, surpluses were invested in the
museum displays and equipment.
The district council has given notice that the
grant will be reduced to zero by 2014 and that the rent for the
next five years will be £10,000 pa. Consequently the museum
has progressively to find an additional £10,000 each year
in order to remain in existence. Total break-even income/expense
is approximately £20,000 pa at current prices. This is not
a lot of money in the general scheme of things but is a large
sum to raise from local voluntary contributions at a few pounds
per head.
The situation represents a culture change to
which the volunteer trustees are unaccustomed and ill-equipped
to manage. Traditional forms of raising revenue identified above
are inadequate for raising the total sum required; the nature
of the museum as a consumer product means that raising prices/charges
tends to reduce total income. Museums are not popular culture.
That is to say, total self financing is considered unrealistic.
What arts organisations can do to work more closely
together in order to reduce duplication of effort and to make
economies of scale
It is difficult to imagine how small organisations
miles away from similar ones can reduce effort to make economies
of scale. Chard Museum's expenditure is already minimal and has
no paid employees.
What level of public subsidy for the arts and
heritage is necessary and sustainable?
Matched funding would seem to be a possible
starting formula. A local organisation may be funded by local
taxation and those with a wider national perspective may also
be funded centrally.
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,
The abolition of the MLA means that Chard Museum
no longer has an umbrella organisation that it can input to and
also receive the bigger picture. This means organisations work
in an information and advice vacuum. The DCMS needs specialist
arms.
Whether businesses and philanthropists can play
a long-term role in funding arts at a national and local level.
Yes, of course they can but presumably the benefits
need to be reciprocal. Advice and coordination is required, experiences
shared. Who will perform such a role? DCMS? MLA? Incentives to
the givers may be appropriate to encourage them but then we may
be talking of government spending again and could be back at our
starting point.
September 2010
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