West Midlands Museum Development The Next 3 Years 2012 - 2015

1. West Midlands Museum DevelopmentThe Next 3 Years2012 - 2015

2. Marches Network In existence for 14 years (formerly Marches Curators Group) To provide a strategic lead in the development and transformation of museum and heritage services across the West Midlands Strong track record of successful joint working in museum development Membership is made up from County Museum Officers in Staffordshire, Shropshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire and the Conurbation (Birmingham, Wolverhampton & the Black Country) and the MDOs – each based in one of the partner authorities We will work to develop and support museum services and their visitors and users to create a sustainable, thriving and mutually supportive sector. Also responsible for Museum on the Move partnership across the Region Funded by ACE through the Mayor Museums Partners grants in partnership with BMT.

3. The Marches Network Vision “To lead the evolution of the current ecology of museums, developing skills and knowledge not only to survive in challenging times but, through joint working, to transform and thrive, in an exciting and diverse cross-cultural context.”

4. West Midlands Museum Development Delivery Plan • Aligned to Accreditation Standard • Reflects ACE goals • Working in partnership with West Midlands Major Partner Museums (BMT and IGMT) to ensure a joined up approach across the Region. • WMMDDP funded via ACE Museum Development Fund The WMMDDP will deliver coherent targeted support directly addressing the capacity for change in the regions museums. Museum’s will be supported to exploit and share their resources and expertise. Delivery Plan composed of 4 programmes aligned to Accreditation:- Organisational Health, Users and their Experiences, Collections and Sector Resilience. The fourth element (Sector Resilience) encompasses cross cutting activity to strengthen and promote the cultural economy of the sector as a whole. It also supports the 5 ACE goals. Each programme area will be managed by a team with an MDO lead. MDOs will also continue to look after their own ‘patch’ – providing support, a point of contact, communication and information, mentoring, practical advice and site visits. In Staffordshire we also have the additional support of the FCA role to support Accreditation and other areas. MDOs will be working closely with BMT and IGMT to support delivery of work across the Region – Skills Development (Bob) and Collections Support (Jane TW) Funding from the Development Fund - £832,000 over 3 years.

5. Sharing the Pot Opportunities for direct financial support through: • Targeted support (i.e. training). Within work strands from commissioned experts i.e. social media training, mentoring to achieve identified goals • Small funding grants associated with a particular strand to carry out an agreed plan i.e. Greener Museums – against an agreed action plan • Annual open submission small grants to support Accreditation or the maintaining of the standards of Accreditation

6. The Strands

7. Organisational Health Programme Aims To build skills & confidence needed to govern resilient and creative museums Promote sustainability through museum-led ‘green’ initiatives Improve resilience & capacity through effective use and training of volunteers

8. Organisational Health – Project Strands • Great Governance • Share knowledge & advice on governance & business models, & asset transfer • Develop & promote mentoring schemes, skills sharing, training and knowledge banks to support entrepreneurial approaches to retail, catering, outsourcing different business models. • Green Museums • ‘Reducing Bills’ programme • Encourage use of the Green Museums toolkit • Encourage sites to attain Green Tourism Business Awards • Events & social media to explore sustainability for museums & users • Valued Volunteers • Work with Ironbridge Gorge Museums Trust to develop volunteer models • Work with Birmingham Museums Trust to support training in volunteer management • Develop partnerships with third sector and Bridge organisations • Disseminate best practice through evaluation of ‘Jump Start’ project (2011/12) & enable more sites to increase and improve the range of volunteers they attract.

9. Users & Their Experiences Programme Aims Support museums to build diverse audiences and develop the visitor experience through educational opportunities, physical visits and digital engagement Strengthen sector involvement with and benefit from the visitor economy and Green Tourism

10. Users & Experiences – Project Strands • Digital & Social Media • Work with BMT & ACE to develop social media & digital resources to engage with audiences • Develop digital projects in Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire • Host ‘Social Media Surgeries’ and developing peer support groups • Develop ‘Digital Champions’ across the West Midlands to share knowledge & support others • Promote excellence & innovative digital content through collections to engage young people • Visitor Experience • Development of shared resources to engage children & young people in cross cultural projects • Supporting national initiatives; Museums at Night & Heritage Open Days • Improve visitor experience through training and case studies • Young Person Mystery Shopper initiative • Tourism • Develop joint publicity & involvement in national tourism initiatives • Promotion of the green tourism agenda to visitors • Programme support for audience development e.g. Heritage Open Days

11. Collections Programme Aims Develop improved and sustainable levels of collections care Foster greater levels of curatorial expertise in a range of areas Develop wider access to collections by their audiences

12. Collections – Project Strands • Making Space • Investigate potential of shared collections policies & storage initiatives. • Look at how better use can be made of collections currently in store through loans and support the Birmingham Museums Trust’s Regional Loans Scheme. • Develop proactive approaches to addressing issues around long term collections stewardship and creating space for new collections for contemporary and future audiences. • Making Collections Count • Flying Collections Assistant working across county borders with museums to improve collections care, storage and access in partnership with Birmingham Museums Trust – Jane Thompson-Webb • Working with ACE Accreditation Advisors and Museum Mentors to support Accreditation • Brokering partnerships to develop audience engagement through increased digital access to collections

13. Sector Resilience This is about enabling the Marches Network to work effectively on behalf of museums across the Region. Ensure the effective management of the delivery of the WMMDO programme – through effective communication, and best practice within the Marches Network Build awareness of the value of the museum sector to communities and the visitor economy, the stories held in the diverse collections, buildings and locations Broker key partnerships locally, regionally nationally and internationally to ensure that museums are at the heart of the culture and economy of the region.

14. Sector Resilience – Project Strands • Advocacy & Promotion • Raising the profile of West Midlands museums • Developing a business model to achieve Fast Forward 2012 and 2014 in order to continue to collect and report on valuable trend data from the regions collections • Encouraging participation in national initiatives such as Museums at Night, Big Draw, Heritage Open Days and BBC Learning strands • Initiating and facilitating cross cultural projects in partnership with organisations such as ACE, Arts Connect and Meadow Arts • Ensuring the vale and impact of the AIM toolkit is understood and used appropriately via publication and circulation of results. • Sub-Regional Resilience • Keeping abreast of sector and non sector developments • Strategic fundraising for MDO projects to ensure the sustainability of museum development • Informing & advising WM museums through newsletters, e-updates & blogs according to local need • Facilitating local Networks and Fora to promote ongoing peer support • Ensuring WM museums continue to be seen as trusted spaces with an authoritative voice