WMMD Newsletter December 2017
Contents:- West Midlands Museum Development Update
- West Midlands Museum Development Events
- News
- Other Events
- Opportunities
West Midlands Museum Development Update
West Midlands Museum Development Conference15 March 2018Celebrating three years of delivering the West Midlands Museum Development Programme we've a jam-packed day ready for you with inspirational speakers, an exclusive tour of Blists Hill and thought provoking workshops. More details to follow
shortly.
Preparing to ProsperWest Midlands Museum Development is delighted to offer six places to staff, volunteers or trustees from Accredited museums or those officially Working Towards Accreditation to attend the Association of Independent Museums (AIM) Preparing to Prosper event in Birmingham on 17 January 2018. See the Other Events section for more information about this event.
Ready to Borrow Capital Grant SchemeIf you have already expressed an interest in the Ready to Borrow Capital Grant Scheme, don't forget to complete the application form and submit by 5pm, Wednesday 24 January 2018 to wmmd@ironbridge.org.uk. Your museum could join the 11 museums from the
region which have already benefitted from this scheme. £56.3k is available and typically museums bid for between £12k and £50k. Successful applicants will be notified by 14 February 2018.
Good Housekeeping Good Housekeeping courses this winter will be led by Jane Thompson-Webb, Conservation Team Leader at Birmingham Museum Trust. - British Motor Museum - Stop the Rot - 18 January 2018
- Wolverhampton Art Gallery - Handling and Packing - 30 January 2018
There are a few remaining places which are offered on a first come first
served basis. If you are interested in attending please email Helen Johnson. Places are free and the courses directly support Section 2.6 (Collections: Care and Conservation Plan) of the Accreditation Standard. They are suitable for any member of your team who wishes to find out more about directly managing and caring for collections. This opportunity is open to Accredited museums and those officially Working Towards Accreditation in the West Midlands.
WMMD EventsSee the WMMD events section below for information about all our events including the new event: 30 January 2018 - Influencing for Results
West Midlands Museum Development Events
25 January 2018 - Need to Know: GDPR and Finance10am – 4.30pm, Birmingham Hippodrome B5 4TBA day of essential learning suitable for all museum staff, trustees and volunteers of Accredited Museums and those officially Working Towards Accreditation in the West Midlands. GDPR The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will come into effect on 25 May 2018 to replace the current Data Protection Act. It’s the biggest overhaul of data protection legislation for over 25 years, and will introduce new requirements for how organisations process personal data. Every organisation, no matter their scale, handles data and employees and volunteers alike must be equipped to protect data. Matt Jarvis, ICARIS Ltd will give an introduction to GDPR, its impact and implications and how to prepare your organisation to comply with the new legislation. Essential
information for staff, trustees and volunteers alike. Magic Numbers Richard Hemmings, Insight Training will help delegates gain a better understanding of financial statements, budgets, how to prepare for audit or independent examination and how to spot and prevent discrepancies. An essential afternoon for everyone, from those handling admission fees, managing a budget or even reporting back to the Charity Commission. Lunch and refreshments are included at this free event. Partnership project with the Arts Fundraising and Philanthropy Programme.
30 January 2018 - Influencing for Results9.30am – 4.30pm, Birmingham Voluntary Service Council, 138 Digbeth, Birmingham B5 6DRLast year’s Snapshot Skills Survey identified 'influencing' as an area where many respondents wanted to feel more confident. The workshop will be presented by Jules Bellingham, Senior Partner
Consultant at the Management Centre (=mc) and Deputy Director of the National Arts Fundraising School. She’s highly experienced in communication and influencing skills. Jules is also a Trustee of Moor Pool Heritage Trust, Birmingham. This workshop is for individuals who want to boost their ability to persuade and convince others, including team members, stakeholders and trustees. The techniques explored will help you influence in a formal or informal situation and help you think about how you can adapt your own communication style to be more effective. Overall, it will help you be a more confident and convincing influencer and communicator. At the end of the workshop you will be able
to: - Ensure a good outcome for you and your organisation
- Choose an appropriate communication style to influence others
- Build rapport with a wide range of individuals
- Win others over to your point of view
- Handle challenges from others
- Present ideas effectively
Lunch and refreshments are included at this FREE event.
8 February 2018 - Setting the Standard: Managing Equality and Diversity in the Workplace10am - 4pm, The Hive, Worcester WR1 3PDRoots HR CIC will be exploring the role of museums to embed Equality and Diversity within their workplace, including their legal responsibilities. Roots HR specialise in working with social sector organisations such as
charities and voluntary organisations. This event is suitable for anyone involved in the management of staff. Through this workshop delegates will gain greater understanding of how they can effectively support all members of their team, throughout their employment in relation to Equality and Diversity. The workshop will explore many aspects of employment including professional development, pay and benefits, performance management, disputes, bullying, harassment and retirement. By the end of this workshop delegates will: - Understand the case for equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace
- Understand the impact of management actions and decisions:
- Pre-employment: terms and conditions and pre-employment checks
- During employment including, working hours, flexible working and time off; pay and benefits; training development, promotion and transfers; managing performance or disputes
- Ending employment: retirement and dismissal reference
- The risk of non-compliance
- What to do if it goes wrong
- e.g. bullying and harassment
In addition you will receive access to free online resources published after the training including: - Session guidance notes
- Terms and conditions of employment factsheet
- Bullying and harassment factsheet
- Template reference letter for an ex-employee
Refreshments and lunch will be
provided.
28 February 2018 - Setting the Standard: Recruitment and Selection10am - 4pm, Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery SY1 1LHRoots HR CIC will be exploring the role of museums to embed Equality and Diversity within their workplace, including their legal responsibilities. Roots HR specialise in working with social sector organisations such as charities and voluntary organisations.
These events are suitable for anyone involved in the management or recruitment of paid staff or volunteers. This workshop from 10am - 4pm at Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery will explore best practice in recruitment and selection processes to ensure that your organisation appoints the best applicants. By the end of this workshop delegates will: - Understand what is meant by merit-based recruitment and selection
- Understand the benefits of merit-based selection including for equality, diversity and inclusion
- Understand the law relating to recruitment and selection, and what this means in practice
- Receive practical tips and guidance on attraction and selection including: attracting a more diverse range of candidates; how to prepare for interviews (including questioning techniques); an awareness of types of selection tests; how to deliver interviews; how to assess candidates in selection situations
In addition you will receive access to free online resources published after the training including: - Guidance notes
- Template outline policy that can be
tailored for your museum
- Template application form that can be tailored for your museum
- Template job description and person specification
- Do’s and don’ts of recruitment and selection document
Refreshments and lunch will be provided at this free event.
15 March 2018 - WMMD ConferenceIronbridge Gorge Museum Trust, Coalbrookdale TF8 7DQJoin the WMMD team for our third conference. Celebrating three years of delivering the West Midlands Museum Development Programme we've a jam-packed day ready for you with inspirational speakers, an
exclusive tour of Blists Hill and thought provoking workshops.
17 January 2018 - AIM Preparing to Prosper11.30am - 4pm, Fazeley Studios, 191 Fazeley Street, Birmingham B5 5SEWhat makes a prospering museum and how can you use the AIM Hallmarks to inspire new ideas and to help you to face the future with confidence? This winter, AIM is launching ‘Preparing to Prosper’: a new publication that will show
museums how to use the AIM Hallmarks to benefit their organisation at a series of seminars taking place in including Birmingham. Tickets cost £25 and you can apply for an AIM travel bursary to help you attend. The seminars will feature guest speakers and case studies from AIM member museums.
There will also be an opportunity to take part in informal and friendly discussions and workshops to help museums share ideas and experiences. Attendees will be the first to receive this new hard copy publication which includes case studies, new insights and questions to help museum staff, trustees and volunteers think about the way they work. Distilling the very best ideas from museums that have used the AIM Hallmarks, the new publication can be used by museums immediately to see fast and positive results. WMMD is offering six free places to this event; see the West Midlands Museum Development Update section for more information.
24 January 2018 - All Inclusive: Championing Diversity in MuseumsThinktank, Birmingham Science Museum, BirminghamAn interactive day addressing the essential issue of how museums can diversify their audiences and workforce.
Through a series of talks, discussion, debate and exchange, this event explores how museums can become truly inclusive spaces and representational platforms, and champion equality at every level.
13 March 2018 - Museums for Health and Wellbeing ConferenceThinktank, Birmingham Science Museum, Birmingham Taking place during Museums and Wellbeing Week, 12 - 18 March 2018. Details to follow later in the year.
23 March 2018 - Money and Medals Network Conference British MuseumTo mark three years of funding from Arts Council England and to celebrate the work conducted so far, the Money and Medals Network (MMN) will be holding a conference. The content of the day will cover the work of MMN over the past three years, outlining its key achievements and
demonstrating to a wider audience how the Network has been active all over the UK with the collections mapping project and the provision of training. It will represent an opportunity to learn more about MMN and the approaches that are being taken to different aspects of numismatics by a number of key participating institutions. It will also be a chance to meet colleagues from other UK public institutions to share knowledge and ideas about museum numismatic collections. In addition, there will be a chance for delegates to see the British Museum’s exhibition about the Money and Medals Network which will be on display in Room 69a from 22 March until 30 September 2018. This conference is open to anyone working or volunteering with numismatic collections in UK museums. Attendance is free, but booking is essential. Lunch will be provided and a limited number of travel bursaries are available. Further details, including how to book, will be available soon.
AIM Launches New Success Guide on the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)Museums and other cultural organisations that want to understand how they should be responding to current and forthcoming General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) can now benefit from a free Success Guide from AIM.
The Mendoza Report PublishedThe independent review of museums in England, The Mendoza Report, has been published. Click here to read it. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-mendoza-review-independent-review-of-museums-in-england
Call for PapersThe call for papers for the 2018 Social History Curators’ Group conference is now open. This year’s theme is Displays, Interpretation and Exhibitions in Social History Museums and you are invited to share your innovative ideas, experiences of trying to do things in new ways, successes, opportunities and failures. Further details can be found here. To submit a proposal, ask a question or run an idea past the committee, please email Becca and Nick at conferenceshcg@gmail.com. The deadline for proposals is 31 January 2018.
New Arts Council England Toolkit AvailableCulture Change: developing diverse talent, workforce and leadershipThe toolkit is guided by best practice recruitment principals and explores how you can think about developing a diverse workforce and leadership. It contains case studies and best practice examples from the arts and culture sector and beyond, with guidance on how to recruit and support diverse talent in an organisation, and how to capture and
use diversity data. Read more about it here.
WomensWork100 at the First World War Centenary PartnershipIn Spring 2018 the First World War Centenary Partnership, led by Imperial War Museum (IWM), will present WomensWork100. This international programme of exhibitions, events, activities, creative responses, personal stories and digital resources will recognise and celebrate the working lives of women during the First World War and beyond showing how women, often unknowingly, pressed for progress in their working lives, against the backdrop of the struggle for female suffrage. IWM wants organisations across the country to take part in #WomensWork100. As well as offering a unique set of digital resources, they will run a vibrant digital campaign and present Partnership events across the country, from 6 February 2018 to International Women's Day on 8 March 2018.
If you have stories to share of the working lives of women in the First World War, the Centenary Partnership wants to hear from you. Organisations can register online to get involved, and share your WomensWork100 connection. The team will be in touch with you shortly.
WomensWork100 is open to members of the First World War Centenary Partnership - find out more. If you have any questions, please email the Partnership team.
New Report – “Young people, youth organisations and galleries: working as allies to spark change”What role can galleries and museums play in young people’s lives?
How can arts and youth organisations form partnerships to harness each other’s expertise?Through Circuit, 10 galleries across England and Wales worked with over 50 youth organisations to improve access to the opportunities that galleries offer, to a greater range of young people. Circuit tested new forms of partnership between cultural and youth organisations, and highlighted the importance of the arts and youth sectors working as allies for the benefit of young people. Read the report and research:
Explore challenges and solutions relating to work with and for young people, that emerged from four years of research from Circuit. Download the free report at https://circuit.tate.org.uk/partnerships/. See the new documentary:
Make Your Place - a portrait of changing futures
Follow the lives of four young people around the country, and the challenges they face in today’s society as they seek opportunities to shape their futures.
Watch the film at https://circuit.tate.org.uk/#make-your-place-video. Provoke conversation, collaboration and action to champion work with young people and their cultural participation in galleries and museums. Contact: circuit.tate.org.uk @CircuitPHF
New toolkit: Treasure PlusArt Fund's new digital toolkit offers guidance and advice for museums with archaeological collections covering everything from the presentation and interpretation of treasure to engaging new audiences and working with the media – all grounded in the experience of the 36 museums around the country who received Art Fund funding to experiment with new displays and community projects, as well as knowledge shared at networking roadshows and the Treasure Plus conference. Find out more about and download the toolkit here.
Museums + Heritage Awards 2018The annual Museums + Heritage Awards, now in its sixteenth year, recognises projects of excellence - innovative and ground-breaking exhibitions from galleries and visitor attractions across the UK and Europe. These range from remarkable achievements of national institutions to projects crafted with limited resources and those championing their staff and volunteers who work hard to deliver inspiring visitor experiences. The Awards are judged by a panel of the sector’s leading lights. There are 11 categories to choose from, including the new
Best Shop Award. The highly anticipated Temporary or Touring Exhibition, sponsored by Displayways, will once again be championing the incredible achievements in design and interpretation of teams across the UK. Also returning for 2018 is the ever popular and free to enter Volunteer(s) of the Year Award, in partnership with AIM. With these Awards open to all museums, galleries, cultural and heritage visitor attractions and their suppliers, no matter what size or budget, this is an unrivalled opportunity for everyone! To find out more visit the Awards page on their website.
Between Spaces – museum and cultural interventions for young people in adolescent mental health care inpatient settingsUCL Museums and Collections need your help. Working with researchers at the UCL Institute of Education they are carrying out a scoping exercise on museum interventions with young in adolescent mental health care inpatient settings. The aim of this small scale research exercise is to better understand young people’s experiences, the potential impact these interventions have as well as the experiences of museum practitioners. Have you worked in these
settings or on projects with Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services? If you have they would like to hear about your experiences. Please email Dean Veall.
Collections Skills Sharing SessionsDesigned for people working or volunteering within the museum and heritage sector, there are travel bursaries available thanks to the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund. Tickets are free, but booking is essential via Eventbrite using the links below:
Storage of Ethnographic Collections Material: Challenges and Solutions – 25 January 2018.
Museums on PrescriptionMuseums on Prescription was a three year project, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council and carried out by researchers at University College London (UCL) and Canterbury Christ Church University. The project connected older people at risk of social isolation (referred through health services, local authorities, adult social care and third-sector organisations) with seven partner museums in London and Kent, and researched the processes, practices, value and impact of social prescription schemes with specific reference to museums (including galleries). The research found
the programmes had a positive impact on participants psychological wellbeing over the duration of programmes across 10 weeks, using the UCL Museums Wellbeing Measure. The museum partners also created a guide to working with older adults which also outlines how they developed a social prescription project. Download the guide here. If you would like more information about the project please contact Dean Veall.
BBC Civilisations FestivalThe festival runs from Friday 2 March to Sunday 11 March. Sign up your organisation as a Civilisations Festival Partner. It’ll give you access to the Civilisations branding so that you can tell your visitors and audiences about events that will be part of the Festival. Being a Civilisations Festival Partner will also unlock exciting opportunities using digital tools and the BBC’s archive. Sign-up here to become a Civilisations Festival Partner and to receive newsletters. A reminder - the closing date for Art Fund grants for Civilisations Festival Partners is 14 December.
Museums Resilient Leadership 2018-2019Applications are now open for the Museums and Resilient Leadership Programme (MRL) - a unique year-long development course fully funded by Arts Council England. Described as 'life changing', it is designed to help you become a cultural leader for the 21st Century, resilient and entrepreneurial. Participants receive £7,500 worth of leadership training, comprising: - a 5 day overseas study visit to cultural organisations in a country of your choice
- 2 x 3 day residential workshops
- 8 workshops and masterclasses on leadership, governance, finance, skills and models
- an online leadership resource bank
- a personal mentor and coach
The Programme draws on a wealth of knowledge and insight about leadership in the cultural and commercial sectors. It puts this learning at your disposal in inspirational settings. Go to the MRL website to find out more and follow the link to apply for the Programme. Applications are open until 5pm, 31 January 2018.
Professional Development Opportunity: Navigating the Art Market courseArt Fund is delighted to be running the ‘Navigating the Art Market course’ in conjunction with Sotheby’s Institute of Art. The course is aimed at museum professionals to provide a practical understanding of the art market. Topics will range from how to bid at auction and the legal aspects of acquiring art to tips for cultivating relationships with art dealers and collectors. The course will use a combination of online training and a day seminar at Sotheby’s Institute of
Art in London on 23 February 2018. The seminar in London will offer an opportunity to review online material, network with curators and art world experts as well as offering insight into the workings of the auction house Sotheby’s. The course is targeted at early career curators interested in gaining a practical understanding of the art market and more experienced curators wishing to refresh their knowledge. Applications are open to all museum and gallery professionals, but given the limited spaces available, priority will be given to curators and others who work with public collections. Courses offered by the Sotheby’s Institute normally charge a fee, however this course, specifically aimed at museum professionals will be free to attend (with lunch included) for
those who are offered a place. For more details and to apply, please see the Art Fund website. The deadline for applications is noon, 10 January 2018.
Archives Revealed'Archives Revealed' is a partnership programme between The National Archives and The Pilgrim Trust. It is the only funding stream available in the UK dedicated to cataloguing and unlocking archives. The fund is comprised of two funding strands: Cataloguing grants (up to £40,000) and Scoping Grants (up to £3,000). Please visit
their website for closing dates and further information.
The Idlewild Trust – Conservation GrantsThe Idlewild Trust supports the conservation of important works of art and objects that are being lost through the lack of funds to look after these works. Works must be in museums, galleries, places of worship, and historic buildings or their grounds, and be accessible to the public. Their average grant is £3,147 and the next closing date is 8 February 2018. See their website for more information.
Collections Care Skills Sharing ProgrammeDo you have a collections management skill that you could share with colleagues from other museums or are you looking for an opportunity to develop a skill in a particular area of collections care? Perhaps you would like to gain experience in collections care work or just find out more about it?The WMMD Skills Sharing Programme aims to connect staff and volunteers from
across the region’s museums with opportunities to develop collections care skills through hands on practical experience. Museums are invited to get in touch with offers of potential activities that could be offered to skills seekers. Alternatively if you are looking for an opportunity to work with collections please let us know and we will try to match you up. If you have a potential skills sharing opportunity to offer, or if you are looking to develop a new collections care skill please click on the links or contact Helen Johnson for more details. Opportunities will be advertised through the WMMD updates and newsletters.
Volunteer PortalThe regional Volunteer Portal offers Accredited museums and those officially Working Towards Accreditation the opportunity to advertise for volunteers. Please click below if you would like to register your museum. You don't need to have any current opportunities to
register.
Resourceswww.mdwm.org.uk/resources has a wide range of resources drawn from our programme and workshops which can be accessed by Accredited museums and those officially Working Towards. If you would like to access these resources please email wmmd@ironbridge.org.uk for a password.
Keep up to date with the Leicester University Museum Studies jobs desk site here.
Images © Lee Allen Photography Walsall Leather Museum, Breaking Boundaries Conference, Leamington Spa Museum and Art Gallery, Oak House Museum, Lapworth Museum of Geology
What we need from you…..There are still many museum staff, volunteers and trustees within the West Midlands who do not receive our newsletter. PLEASE make sure your colleagues don’t miss out and forward this newsletter today! To sign up for our newsletter visit our website and submit your email address at the bottom of our home page or at the bottom of all our web pages.
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