MGS launches campaign for responsible change

< Back to news listing

Museums Galleries Scotland today launches a toolkit to help local authorities make decisions about how they deliver services locally in a ‘cuts climate’. The toolkit, Choices for Change, arrives in time for local authorities to take
account of the UK Government’s comprehensive spending review announcement.

Choices for Change encourages local authorities to look at new ways of working and to do things differently. There are many different options for how local services can be delivered. One is to become a charitable trust limited by guarantee, like Glasgow Life. Choices for Change encourages local authorities to work out what model will work best for them.

Joanne Orr, CEO, Museums Galleries Scotland, said:

“Change is inevitable in the current climate. Supporting significant sector change is a key priority for Museums Galleries Scotland. Collectively, we must view change as a positive opportunity to do things differently – and for the better.”

“Museums and galleries are central to our communities. They bridge the delivery of heritage, tourism, culture and education. Museums hold the memories of people and are custodians of our identities – often symbolising what is important to us as people.
Local authorities face very hard decisions on how they will continue to deliver services to their communities.”

“Looking carefully at what we do and how we can develop a positive and ultimately sustainable future for the museum and gallery sector is paramount.
Choices for Change is about giving local authorities the tools to make decisions that balance the short term pressure of budget cuts with their longer term needs.”

Alison Turnbull, Head of Research and Standards, Museums Galleries Scotland, said:

“Museums Galleries Scotland talked to numerous partners and agencies about Choices for Change. This consultation was instrumental to its development and refinement. This is a plain English guide to what is a complex area. The decisions local authorities make now will impact on communities for many years to come. Making responsible decisions now will set a precedent for the future.”

“We are delighted to launch our Choices for Change campaign today and the toolkit is just the first stage. We know that there will be an increasing need to support the sector in doing things differently. We have a valuable role to play in driving this through.”

Heather Stuart, Chair of VOCAL (which acts as the Voice of Chief Officers of Culture and Leisure Services in local government in Scotland) said:

‘I welcome the important work by Museums Galleries Scotland to support the sector respond to the challenging times which lie ahead. The key challenge for us will be to remain aspirational about the quality and range of services we deliver, whilst responding to the inevitable financial constraints. Making informed decisions whilst supporting continuous improvement and modernisation of services is essential. This will ensure that the central role that museums and galleries play in our communities can be sustained.”

“Those leading these services in local government need practical support. Choices for Change provides exactly that. Although tailored to the needs of museums and galleries, it is equally relevant and applicable to other local government services. I urge all local authorities to use it to inform their future decision making”.

Choices for Change is available from www.choicesforchange.info

ENDS

NOTES TO NEWS EDITORS
• Museums Galleries Scotland represents over 350 museums and galleries across Scotland. The sector welcomes 25 million visitors and contributes £800 million to the Scottish economy.
• An extended quote from Heather Stuart, Chair of VOCAL is available on request.
• Museums Galleries Scotland is developing Choices for Change with local authorities and key partners including Creative Scotland, Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA), Improvement Service, Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA), Scottish Government, Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC), Society of Local Authority Chief Officers (SOLACE), Sporta, Audit Scotland and Voice of Chief Officers of Cultural and Leisure Services in Scotland (VOCAL) and Museums Archives and Libraries Wales (CyMAL).
• Museums Galleries Scotland issued a systematic review of guidance, policy, pilot programmes, evaluation and models of public service delivery. Click here to read Delivering Public Services in the 21st Century .
• Museums Galleries Scotland research demonstrates the vital role that museums and galleries play in communities across Scotland. They impact positively across portfolios such as health, tourism, education and community development. Click here to read Cornerstones of Communities

Pres contact: Communications Manager

Published
19th Oct 2010

Region
Aberdeen and Grampian
Angus and Dundee City
Argyll and Bute
Ayrshire
Dumfries and Galloway
Edinburgh and Lothians
Eilean Siar
Fife
Greater Glasgow
Highland
Orkney
Perth and Kinross
Shetland
Stirling
National

Publisher
MGS