WMMD Newsletter September 2017
Contents:- West Midlands Museum Development Update
- West Midlands Museum Development Events
- News
- Other Events
- Opportunities
West Midlands Museum Development Update
Exciting Opportunity - Museums Association ConferenceWMMD is offering individuals the opportunity to apply for single day tickets to the Museums Association conference on 16 and 17 November in Manchester.Further details of the Museums Association conference, including the conference guide can be found here. To apply individuals must complete the application form outlining which day of the conference they would like to attend and why this will benefit their museum and help support their own individual professional development. This opportunity is open to all individuals from Accredited museums and those officially Working Towards Accreditation in the West Midlands region. Closing date: 5pm, Friday 29 September.
West Midlands Volunteer Awards The lucky finalists and their nominators are attending a glittering evening on Tuesday 19 September at the Birmingham Hippodrome where the winners will be announced. Read about the finalists on our website now and visit on Wednesday 20 September to see who
the winners are.
Setting the Standard WorkshopsIs your museum an inclusive workplace?
Are you attracting and supporting a diverse workforce?
Do you understand your legal responsibilities?A fantastic opportunity to gain professional Human Resources guidance and advice from Roots HR CIC. Ensure your museum is meeting its legal and moral responsibilities in relation to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion through a series of four free workshops, relating to recruitment, selection, retention and policy. These events are suitable for anyone involved in the management or recruitment of paid staff or volunteers. Delegates attending events will receive free template documents and supporting resources. 4 October - Setting the Standard: Equality and Diversity in Volunteering 14 November - Setting the Standard: Equality and Diversity Policy 7 December - Setting the Standard: Recruitment and Selection The final workshop in the series will be 8 February 2018. Full details of these workshops and how to book them can be found along with all our upcoming events in the WMMD events section.
West Midlands Museum Development Events
21 September - Effective Fundraising: Strategy and Case for Support9.30am - 5pm, Lapworth Museum of Geology, University of Birmingham B15 2TTFULLY BOOKEDIf you would like
to be added to the waiting list please email wmmd@ironbridge.org.uk. This event is for Accredited Museums and those officially Working Towards Accreditation in the West Midlands only.
4 October - Setting the Standard: Equality and Diversity in Volunteering10am - 4pm, Museum of Carpet, Kidderminster DY10 1AZDelivered by Roots HR, this workshop will explore Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in the workplace, and how this relates to volunteers. Delegates will gain an understanding of how volunteers are protected by equality law, the responsibilities they have for what volunteers do when
representing the museum and how they might promote equality and diversity through volunteer recruitment and management. By the end of this workshop delegates will: - Understand what we mean by 'equality', 'diversity' and 'inclusion' within the workplace and the difference between each
- Understand the protection volunteers have in equality law
- Understand the benefits of equality and diversity in volunteering
- Have an awareness of how to promote equality and diversity in volunteering including
recruiting and managing volunteers
- Understand their responsibility for what their volunteers do
In addition you will receive access to free online resources published after the training including: - Guidance notes
- Template Volunteer Agreement that can be tailored for your museum
Refreshments and lunch will be provided at this free event. Dates for the next three workshops: 14 November, 7 December and 8 February
10 October - Effective Fundraising: Engaging Trusts, Foundations and Companies9.30am - 5pm, Lapworth Museum of Geology, University of Birmingham B15 2TTFULLY BOOKEDIf you
would like to be added to the waiting list please email wmmd@ironbridge.org.uk. This event is for Accredited Museums and those officially Working Towards Accreditation in the West Midlands only.
19 October - Exceeding Visitor Expectations9.30am - 5.15pm, The National Brewery Centre, Burton upon Trent DE14 1NGDue to the popularity of our customer service event in February we are delighted to announce that we will be hosting a full day of the Exceeding Visitor Expectations workshop. This is a one-day
customer service course designed specifically for front-line staff combining the expertise of VisitEngland’s Visitor Attraction Quality Scheme and the experience of the renowned Welcome to Excellence training programmes. Participants will discover everything they need to know about being an ambassador for their venue and delivering great service to visitors. The course features a variety of activities and quizzes and is supported by a participant guide that can be taken away and used as a customer service resource. It is brimming full of practical tips and learning point reminders on how to make your visitors feel really special. Those who successfully complete the training will receive Welcome to Excellence and VisitEngland pin badges,
and an attendance certificate. Exceeding Visitor Expectations meets national standards for customer service delivery and there is an option for your staff to gain a City and Guilds Level 2 Award by taking a multiple choice assessment paper at the end of the training day. Places are limited and this will be the only opportunity to attend in this financial year.
14 November - Setting the Standard: Equality and Diversity Policy10am - 4pm, The Pen Museum, Birmingham B1 3HSDelivered by Roots HR, this workshop will explore the moral and legal case for equality and diversity within the workplace, supporting delegates to understand how effective and relevant policies can support them in meeting their responsibilities to create an inclusive workplace. By the end of this workshop delegates will: - Understand what is meant by 'equality', 'diversity' and 'inclusion' within the workplace and the difference between each
- Understand the case for equality and diversity in the workplace
- Have an awareness of the legal requirements within the area of equality, in particular the Equality Act 2010 and the implications this has on policy development
- Understand the key requirements for an effective equality and diversity policy, including scope, responsibilities and reporting
concerns
- Have an awareness of how to implement and embed an equality and diversity policy
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
Refreshments and lunch will be provided at this free event. Dates for the other three workshops: 4 October, 7 December and 8 February
22 November - Collections Knowledge Café: Caring for Works on Paper10am - 4pm, Wolverhampton City Archives WV1 1SFFULLY BOOKEDIf you would like to be added
to the waiting list please email wmmd@ironbridge.org.uk.
28 November - Open to Interpretation10am - 4pm, Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, Coalbrookdale TF8 7DQWMMD will present an exciting day of creative and practical workshops exploring affordable opportunities to refresh exhibition interpretation and engage with a wider range of audiences. Fab Lab in Ironbridge is an open resource which allows users to
design and create using a variety of equipment including laser cutters, 3D printers and vinyl cutters. The Fab Lab team will demonstrate how the equipment can be used to create simple museum interactives and interpretation. Participants will complete a practical activity and leave with a finished item. Take a tour of the newly reopened Museum of Iron with Curator Gillian Crumpton, exploring the exhibition's use of layered interpretation. Becki Morris, Collections Assistant for Heritage and Culture Warwickshire and representative for Disability Cooperative Network (DCN) will lead a practical workshop supporting delegates to understand neurodiversity and identify the potential social barriers individuals may encounter when visiting museums. The session will explore
opportunities for low cost inclusive practice. Mandy Ross, author of ‘The Children’s History of Birmingham’ has a wealth of experience in writing for children and young people. Mandy will guide participants through the process of drawing out captivating stories from collections and spaces to create engaging interpretation for younger visitors. Lunch and refreshments will be provided at this free event.
7 December - Setting the Standard: Recruitment and Selection10am - 4pm, Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery SY1 1LHThe third of a series of four workshops, Roots 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 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. Dates for the other three workshops: 4 October, 14 November and 8 February
21 September - Museums Funding Fair11am - 3pm, Pyramid & Parr Hall, Warrington WA1 1BLMuseum Development North West is hosting the 5th Annual Museums Funding Fair giving museums and arts professionals the opportunity to meet various funding organisations face-to-face. Due to the success of last year they also have a number of national museums
in attendance to discuss potential partnership projects and loans. The fair will also include a variety of workshops from the some of the organisations above and there will also be a workshop looking at how to write successful funding bids.
21 September - Takeover Day SurgeriesKids in Museums is offering one to one Planning Surgeries for museum and gallery professionals to get individual support and guidance directly from the Takeover Day team. These sessions will give you the chance to discuss ideas and challenges unique to your organisation. The surgery will be held face to face at the Kids in Museums office in Borough, London but can also be conducted digitally. To book a surgery click here.
21 September - Pulling Together: Collections Trust Conference 2017 9.30am - 5pm, The Hospitium, Museum Gardens, York YO1 7FRBeing responsible for collections management can feel like ploughing a lone furrow. But it’s actually a museum-wide task that needs everyone to pull together – from the governing body to the people on the front desk. This year’s Collections Trust conference considers the human side of documentation systems, the people who capture and share information that gives museum objects meaning.
26 - 27 September - What the War Did: Social Change During World War I Symposium National Memorial Aboreteum, Alrewas, Staffordshire DE13 7ARThe diverse programme of seminars, interactive workshops and site tours, aimed at academics, students and historians, will examine the social changes wrought by the conflict helping to create a greater understanding of how these changes came about.
As well as examining the changing role of women during the conflict - focussing on the care of the wounded on both the Western and Home fronts, other themes will consider the Home Front at a more local level. Topics to be explored by a wealth of speakers include the female vote, food crises, attitudes towards conscientious objectors, the changing role of the country estate house as convalesce homes, and the development of female labour in traditionally male roles. The programme will also offer opportunities to explore the galleries and to participate in workshops and guided tours of the 150-acre site.
16 - 18 November - Museums Association Conference and ExhibitionManchester Central Convention ComplexThere are three themes for this year’s conference:
Audiences: how can museums expand and deepen their relationship with the public in the context of a growing atmosphere of intolerance, mistrust and division following last year’s Brexit vote and the resulting political turmoil.
What role can museums play in healing some of society’s divisions and how should they reflect contemporary issues such as poverty, climate change and globalisation in their programming? And how can museums reach out to those people who do not currently engage with museums?
Collections: how can collections be used to inspire and engage communities and make a difference to people’s lives? How can museums involve audiences in interpreting collections and sharing knowledge about them? How can digital technology help increase engagement with collections and how should the sector approach issues such as collecting, storage and disposal?
Workforce: what will the museum professional of the future look like and what knowledge and experience will they need? What needs to change in areas such as leadership, diversity and skills development for the sector to face the challenges ahead? Want free tickets? See WMMD Update section on how to apply for free tickets through WMMD no later than 29 September.
24 January 2018 - All Inclusive: Championing Diversity in MuseumsThinktank, 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.
New Resources to support Family AudiencesThe Family Arts Campaign have launched a range of really useful resources to support cultural organisations to attract and support family audiences including; - Fantastic for Families - a year round listings website and national promotional campaign, to help organisations connect with new family audiences, with a targeted events feed to a range of partners, including Netmums Local, Hoop and many more. The website will launch on 1 October, replacing the National Family Arts Festival, which previously took place in October. Follow this link to sign up and register events.
- Pricing and Content Guidance for Family Events – providing practical guidance on pricing and the information necessary to enable families to make informed decisions about attending cultural events.
- A new advisory service to help cultural organisations assess and improve on their offer to families.
- Age-Friendly Standards providing guidance for cultural organisations welcoming older family members.
Museum of London Announces Reduction in Lending ProgrammeThe Museum of London has announced that effective from 1 October 2017, as the museum re-focuses its resources ahead of its planned relocation to West Smithfield, the minimum deadlines for loan requests has increased to 12 months for all types of loan, except for London non-National Museums for whom a 6 month deadline is still in operation. Object requests will be limited to five objects per request. For complex, large or costume and textile based loans, or for
new long-term loans the museum recommend submitting your request as far as possible in advance of the opening date. They will reassess the lending programme further in 2018 to confirm whether a moratorium on lending will be introduced to allow them to focus on relocating the collection. Loan requests for the period 2020 onward may be received but they may not be able to confirm their commitment to lend until a later date. Please see the website for full information and loans policy, as well as contact details. All lending commitments which have already been agreed will of course be honoured.
Call for Proposals: Museums Association Diversity ConferenceThe Museums Association (MA) is holding an open call for session proposals for its forthcoming one-day conference on diversity, equality and inclusion. All Inclusive: Championing Diversity in Museums takes place on 24 January 2018 at Thinktank in Birmingham, and aims to empower people to continue challenging the status quo and championing a diverse approach, while providing ideas as to how diversity can move from the margins to mainstream museum practice. As part of the MA’s vision for "inclusive, participatory and socially engaged museums at the heart of their communities" and its Museums Change Lives policy document, the event will be programmed through an open call for papers. They particularly welcome ideas for workshops and interactive sessions, standalone presentations, panel discussions and other interventions. Proposals will be considered by an advisory committee made up of diversity champions from across the UK museum sector and members of MA staff. If successful, the MA will work with you to shape up a session that fits within the overall programme for the day. The MA's definition of diversity includes the protected characteristics as defined by the Equalities Act 2010 but also includes socio-economic background
and status, and diversity of perspectives and life experience. The deadline for proposals is 27 September. A form for submissions, and guidelines to putting forward a proposal, are available on the MA’s website.
BBC Civilisation FestivalRegister your interest with this exciting partnership between museums and galleries and the BBC.It is now nearly half a century since Kenneth Clark’s series Civilisation thrilled audiences with its authoritative interpretation of the glories of Western art. Inspired by that groundbreaking programme, the new series of Civilisations on BBC Two will introduce a new generation to the great masterworks of beauty,
ingenuity and illumination created across the continents. The Civilisations Festival will run alongside the series in Spring 2018. Museums, galleries and libraries are invited to schedule events to spark debate, broaden understanding and share ideas about what is meant by the term civilisation. The content of the events is up to your organisation. It could be a debate or a keynote speech, a performance or a hands-on workshop using an item from your collection as the starting point. Branding will be supplied so that you can let your visitors know that the event is part of the Civilisations Festival. Curators and speakers could be invited as guests on the BBC’s programmes. In some cases, stations may decide to cover your event in an
outside broadcast. The festival runs from Friday 2 March to Sunday 11 March. Register your organisation’s interest by emailing civilisations@bbc.co.uk Find out more at: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes. The festival will include a major digital component as well as live events. The BBC’s Research and Development department is offering museums an opportunity to use innovative, newly developed tools, either on the BBC’s own ‘Taster’ platform or on organisations’ own websites. An augmented reality app, 360° video tools and low cost live video broadcasting. Workshops to demonstrate the possibilities of using these digital tools are taking place during September in England: Birmingham - 18 September, Bristol - 21 September and York - 25 September. To express an interest in attending send an email to civilisations@bbc.co.uk with ‘Digital’ in the title.
British Museum Collections Skills Sharing SessionsThe next round of British Museum collections skills sharing sessions are now bookable online. The training sessions running in September and October include: - Heavy Object Collections Care: Introduction – 20 September
- Pinning – 2 October
- Mounting and Storage of Prints and Drawings – 16 October
These sessions are free and open to all colleagues working or volunteering within the museum and heritage sector thanks to the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund. Travel bursaries are also available upon request. If you have any questions, please contact Georgia Mallin, UK Partnerships Co-ordinator.
Draft Guidelines for the Care of Larger and Working Historic ObjectsThe Association of British Transport and Engineering Museums and The International Railway Heritage Consultancy have issued the draft guidelines for comment. Comments should be submitted by 29 September. Click here for the draft
guidelines and here for the comments form.
Would you like your museum featured on the TV?Does your museum have a story that is visually appealing for TV? A special event or exhibition?If the answer is yes, BBC Midlands Today Presenter/Reporter, Nicola Beckford would love to know about
it! This is a great opportunity to draw the attention of a large audience to your projects. Nicola is happy to be contacted on an ongoing basis. When contacting Nicola please include the following information: - Name of organisation
- A one-line description of what you do
- Name of contact
- Phone
- Email
- Website
- Address
- In a few sentences, summarise the key points of the story
- Describe the story explaining why it is new, innovative, exciting or appealing
- Describe what they will see and film
- Who they can interview
- When the event is taking place
Email Nicola at nicola.beckford@bbc.co.uk
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.
Masonic Charitable Foundation's Community Support SchemeThe Community Support Scheme offers large and small grants to charities registered in England and Wales that are working in the areas of financial hardship, health and disability, education and employability, and social exclusion and disadvantage.
Jonathan Ruffer Curatorial Grants ProgrammeThe scheme is open to curators and other professionals working with public collections. Full details on the programme can be found on their website.
AIM Biffa Award ‘History Makers’ FundingFunded by Biffa Award with support from the Landfill Communities Fund, the programme will provide AIM member museums and heritage sites with grants of up to £75,000. Expressions of interest must be submitted no later than 2 October for panel review. The deadline for full applications is 31 October. Successful applicants will be required to complete their projects by April 2019. Full information on how to apply is available at: AIM Biffa Award History Makers Programme.
Volunteer CoordinatorTyseley Locomotion Works, Birminghamcirca £20,000 paVintage Trains is a charity established to preserve and operate their collection of heritage steam locomotives, rolling
stock on the national railway network as a tourist attraction. They open the depot to the public for special events and open days two weekends a year and for some pre-booked parties. They also offer a vital contract engineering service to Britain's heritage railway industry. They rely heavily on volunteers to work alongside the paid staff. A whole range of activities is undertaken to restore, repair, operate, plan, organise, administer, manage and direct activities to ensure that a day out with Vintage Trains is an enjoyable, fulfilling and safe experience for all visitors and staff. The Volunteer Coordinator will manage all elements of volunteering across Vintage Trains to ensure that the needs of the organisation and those of the volunteers are met. Particular
emphasis will be placed on the development and implementation of a new volunteering strategy and growing the volunteer programme, to enable us to achieve our vision for the future. Please send a CV and covering letter to Helen Ashby, Vintage Trains, c/o 141 Manor Drive North, York YO26 5SD. Email: helen.ashby23@sky.com. A full job description can be supplied by email on request to the above. Closing date: 20 September 2017 Interviews will be
held between 3 and 13 October 2017.
ApprenticeShrewsbury Museum and Art GalleryShropshire Museums Service looks after six museum sites, including the prestigious new Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery. They are seeking an enthusiastic apprentice to work with within the financial administration of Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery. You will also assist in the development of corporate bookings, weddings, and
evening events programme and assist with customers in the Visitor Information Centre. If you're passionate about history and heritage, have a good head for administration, work well as part of a team, and would like the experience of developing a new and exciting programme, then this could be just the opportunity for you! You'll spend part of your time assembling a portfolio that will allow you to achieve a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ). This post is open to all over the age of 16 without a university degree. For more information about the post (reference NB17/43), contact Adrian Perks, Visitor Facilities Manager by email or call 01743 258887. Alternatively visit https://shropshirejobs.engageats.co.uk/.
Military Museums Consultant Opportunity An opportunity has arisen to work with a large group of regimental museums on an advocacy project. Generously funded by the Army Museum Ogilby Trust, the project will see the successful consultant work with a number of military museums to assist them in demonstrating their positive impact on the Ministry of Defence, the Army and the local economy, and the benefit they have on their respective audiences and stakeholders. The scheme has a strong legacy element, and will aim to equip those working alongside the consultant with new skills they can use in the future. With a proposed start date of November 2017, queries relating to the project are encouraged and welcomed. Please contact Richard Davies, the Curator of the Regimental Museum of the Royal Welsh, for further details by email or phone on 01874 613310. Closing date for submissions is 30 September 2017, and interviews will be held week beginning 16 October 2017. The venue will be Firing Line Museum, located in the visitor centre of Cardiff Castle. Note the fee for the scheme will be paid in three instalments, namely November 2017, February 2018 and April 2018 (the latter being the proposed completion date).
Trustee OpportunityCompton Verney Art Gallery and Park is seeking to appoint highly-skilled and committed individuals to join the Board of Governors.Since opening in 2004, Compton Verney has become one of the region’s premier cultural destinations. A unique, nationally-accredited art gallery and historic park near Stratford-upon-Avon, Compton Verney is an independent charitable trust (Compton Verney House
Trust) with six permanent collections, special exhibitions and a busy programme of events. Being independent, they are masters of their own destiny: able to be more flexible, responsive and creative than many of their peers. This in turn enables them to lead, innovate and inspire. Over the last eight years they have doubled visitor attendance, attracted new and diverse audiences, restored and re-animated their ‘Capability’ Brown park, and built up a series of regional and national partnerships which have been enthusiastically welcomed by bodies ranging from the Arts Council to the National Gallery. And they are determined that the Arts remain central and relevant to everyday life. They are now looking for trustees with relevant expertise and a passion for the visual arts to help
them on the next phase of their exciting development. This is an exciting opportunity for someone to use their professional skills and experience for the benefit of Compton Verney House Trust in an extremely rewarding role. Moreover, Compton Verney is committed to ensuring that the process for the election of new Governors is rigorous and transparent. There is no need to have trustee experience to apply. An interest in modern museums would be an advantage. For more information please visit their website. Closing date: 9am Monday 25 September 2017
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 Shrewsbury Museum, Breaking Boundaries Conference, Leamington Spa Museum and Art Gallery, Oak House Museum, Lapworth Museum of Geology
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