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Picts and Paintings in tayside
Why is this case study relevant?
This partnership developed a number of strands of work connected to ‘learning’ in its broadest sense. Learning opportunities were developed for schools, families, and staff and volunteers from the 3 authorities. Audience and museum surveys gave baseline evidence of existing opportunities and used to monitor change and impact of the programme. A key outcome is the formation of the Tayside Museums Forum as an independently constituted group.
What were the aims of the project?
•To create and develop effective and sustainable partnerships for the long-term benefit of the learning and access needs of visitors, potential visitors, staff and volunteers for all museums in Tayside
•To develop a set of working practices for partnership working between the lead partners and develop an effective partnership between the lead partnership and the forum group
•To engage with the National Museum of Scotland to develop effective partnership for learning and access
•To develop collaborative working between members of the forum group and investigate a potential model for effective working of this group
•To develop the learning and access policies, services and activities of all the museums in Tayside to reflect the needs of existing visitors, potential visitors and in line with best practice
•To pilot and then implement Inspiring for All in the lead authorities and to extend key approaches (as identified in the pilots) to the forum group
•To develop an effective work plan for the partnership which takes account of best practice, and pilots new approaches
•To use the investment in learning and access to increase the capacity of museums to build effective and sustainable learning and access policies and activity to lever in additional resources for learning and access
•To use the project funding to support discrete projects which will benefit both the lead partners and forum group
To evaluate the success of the partnership working activity and the project activities so that best practice can be identified and disseminated
What happened?
A comprehensive programme of micro-projects was developed to meet the partnership aims. These included a learning and access audit of the region’s museums and galleries, partnership with National Museums of Scotland to deliver schools workshops on ‘Picts’ and ‘Egyptians’, family learning activities such as the Art Cart in the Fergusson Gallery, collections development and documentation, participation in MUSE survey in 2006 and 2008, staff and volunteer participation in training opportunities including formal SVQ programme and development of the Tayside Museums Forum. A joint promotional leaflet ‘Tayside Treasures’ was initiated by the Forum and published and distributed for summer visitors in 2008. Four training workshops were offered under NMS Knowledge Exchange programme and others were arranged by project staff. Skills exchange has been promoted through ‘behind the scenes’ visits. Through working together the partners have developed shared good practice and procedures, including collections documentation, and are committed to continued joint working.
What was learned?
The level of funding allowed the appointment of dedicated staff to co-ordinate and deliver the programme. The initial learning and access audit demonstrated the need for development work and capacity building in the region’s museums and this has been addressed by the partnership. Museums and galleries staff have increased skills, knowledge and confidence in delivering schools and family learning activities and see these as sustainable beyond the end of funding.
What is the wider relevance?
The partners will continue to work together to share knowledge, information, skills and resources. This joined-up working will benefit the museums and galleries in the region particularly through the new Tayside Museums Forum, by sharing good practice and offering further training and development. The profile of the independent museums has been raised through the Tayside Treasures leaflet which will be reprunted for the coming year.
How was this project promoted?
Through dedicated web pages on the www.angus.gov.uk site, press releases and coverage and the Tayside Treasures joint leaflet
What type of evaluation was done?
All training activities and schools and family learning activities were evaluated at the time. An external evaluation was completed in October 2008.
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Categories
Regional Development Challenge Fund
Partnership
Workforce Development
Learning
Project Start
1st May 2005
Project End
1st Sep 2008
Published
17th Nov 2008
Who Led?
Angus Council
Who else took part?
Dundee City Council, Perth and Kinross Council and independent and regimental museums in the region
Who Paid?
Museums Galleries Scotland
How Much?
£405,000