Online help for public service planners launched by Museums Galleries Scotland

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Museums Galleries Scotland has announced fresh details of their campaign that supports individuals and organisations making important decisions about the future of publicly-run museums and galleries in Scotland.

In autumn 2010 Museums Galleries Scotland launched the Choices for Change toolkit which was well received by many senior local authority officers and public sector organisations. The toolkit encourages local authorities to look at new ways of working, to see change as an opportunity to do things differently.

Today Museums Galleries Scotland unveil the latest stage in their campaign. The Choices for Change website has been enhanced to become a ‘one stop information shop’ for local authorities and other organisations to help them plan how they deliver a quality museum and gallery service in a climate of budget cuts. It offers information that can help them make decisions that balance the short term pressure of budget cuts with their longer term needs. This includes research that has been done into the various ways that services can be delivered and self assessment tools allowing museums to look at what they do well and help to focus on how they could make improvements.

Joanne Orr, CEO, Museums Galleries Scotland, said:
“News about public spending cuts is omnipresent. Local authorities are making difficult decisions on how they will continue to deliver museum and gallery services to their communities.”

Alison Turnbull, Head of Research and Standards at Museums Galleries Scotland, said:
“Choices for Change offers a point of focus and support for the sector. The great thing is that this is not a static website – it is constantly evolving. We will use it to highlight relevant research and stories appearing in the press. We are asking museums and galleries to do the same so that we are all contributing to the wider debate on sustainability.”

“A key strength propelling our work on Choices for Change is how a wide range of organisations have worked together with us to develop a resource which benefits with wider sector. We are all working together to do things differently – and for the better.”

Christine Rew, Art Gallery and Museums Manager at Aberdeen City Council, said:
“The Choices for Change toolkit is an excellent starting point for local authorities and other organisations who are exploring alternative ways of delivering museums and galleries services during a time of economic change and financial constraint.

“The practical self-assessment approach enables services to consider key issues, review their strengths and focus on their future priorities. It’s written in a way that is easy to use; it both stimulates and directs discussion and can be tailored to individual needs.”

I congratulate Museums Galleries Scotland for taking the lead in the development of the toolkit and additional resources for the museum and gallery sector at this time of transformation for public services.”

Choices for Change is available at www.choicesforchange.info.

ENDS

Media enquiries contact:
Communications Manager

General enquiries on Choices for Change contact:
Initiatives Manager

Published
24th Jan 2011

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