SMC e-bulletin

SMC Monthly e-bulletin May 2007

Show Scotland 2007 took place over the May bank holiday and, by all accounts, the second year of our Big Museums and Galleries Events Weekend was a resounding success. With sell-out shows and jam-packed events taking place right across the country, the initial feedback from organisers and participants has so far been overwhelmingly positive.
We are now working on the evaluation of the weekend and the development of Show Scotland over the next few years and will be sharing our findings in due course.
If you have any queries about Show Scotland, please telephone 0131 550 4100 or e-mail [email protected]

The next round of SMC small grants closes on 1st June 2007. The small grants programme provides funding for smaller projects that benefit Registered/Accredited museums with a simple application process and a relatively fast response time.
For further information on the small grant scheme or to download guidelines and application forms, see the SMC website at
http://www.scottishmuseums.org.uk/areas_of_work/grants/small_grants.asp
or contact SMC Grants Development Manager Beverley Davies.  T: 0131 550 4115  E: [email protected]

SMC, in collaboration with Glasgow Museums, has published Hands On, a guide aimed at getting teachers of early years and primary school pupils enthused about the learning potential of museum objects. The activities in the guide are designed to help teachers and pupils to gain confidence in exploring objects, and links are made throughout the guide between object-based learning activities and the Curriculum for Excellence.
If you would like to receive an electronic version of Hands On when it becomes available, please register your interest by e-mailing [email protected]

We would be very grateful if you would look at the page on the SMC website relevant to your museum and let us know of any updates. Please e-mail any changes to [email protected]

Congratulations to the following SMC members whose applications were considered by MLA�s Accreditation panel in April:

• Fife Council � Buckhaven Museum, Burntisland Museum, Inverkeithing Museum, Kirkcaldy Museum and Art Gallery, Laing Museum, McDouall Stuart Museum, Methil Heritage Museum, Pittencrieff House Museum, and St Andrews Museum all achieved Full Accreditation
• West Lothian Council � Blackridge Community Museum, Broxburn Community Museum and Whitburn Community Museum all achieved Full Accreditation.

If you have any queries about Accreditation, please contact SMC Accreditation Manager Susie Hillhouse.  T: (Tues, Wed, Thurs) 0131 550 4124 
E: [email protected]

The next meeting of the Scottish Archaeological Finds Allocation Panel will be on 4 July 2007. The deadline for bids is Wednesday 13 June 2007.
Please refer to the Treasure Trove website www.treasuretrovescotland.co.uk
New cases will be advertised on the website and will continue to be advertised in the SMC e-bulletin.
The following cases have been claimed by the Crown and will come before the Panel at the meeting of 4 July. Case details are available to accredited/registered museums on request.
TT.7/07 MBA flanged axehead, Kirknewton, Midlothian.
TT.8/07 Prehistoric steatite spindle whorl, near Jarlshof, Shetland.
TT.9/07 Polished stone axehead, Edinburgh.
TT.10/07 Medieval annular brooch, Inverness, Highland.
TT.11/07 Prehistoric flint blade, Rothesay, Isle of Bute.
Jenny Shiels, Treasure Trove Administrator, National Museums of Scotland,
Chambers Street, Edinburgh EH1 1JF. E: [email protected]

Hugh Miller�s Cottage in Cromarty has been awarded a �10,000 grant by the Heritage Lottery Fund towards the creation of a natural science-themed garden.
West Kilbride Museum Trust has been awarded �1,247 to enable the group to purchase moveable glass display cabinets allowing the Trust to increase their display opportunities.

The recently formed Scottish Migration Archives Network aims to

• locate sound, textual, visual resources and material objects relating to migration to Scotland and create a website directory of this material
• provide a home for existing sound and visual material relating to migration experience that is not now publicly accessible
• create new resources by making oral history interviews with families from various migrant communities
• undertake and support research into migrant experiences, e.g. multi-generation studies of migrant communities
• support artistic production, performance and exhibitions that communicate migration experience.

As a first step towards making the website directory of holdings in Scottish museums, galleries and libraries, the research team is seeking information about material your museum holds for the major migrant groups in Scotland, e.g. Chinese, Indian, Irish, Italian, Jewish, Pakistani, and Polish. Please send any such information, by the end of May, to Prof. Eileen Yeo, History Dept., University of Strathclyde, 16 Richmond St., Glasgow G1 1XQ.  E: [email protected]

As part of doctoral research at the University of Edinburgh, Ghufran Sukkaryeh is carrying out a survey on the impact of copyright law on museums and galleries.
The project will highlight the value of copyright in museums and galleries in general, underlining its significance in achieving the mission of facilitating public access, and encouraging education, research and study of their cultural content.
Ghufran would be very grateful if you could take a few minutes to fill in the questionnaire which is online at http://www.survey.ed.ac.uk/ghufransurvey/
To contact Ghufran, e-mail [email protected]

Children�s Art Day provides opportunities for thousands of children around the UK to get involved in art projects in museums, galleries, schools and other organisations. Events will be taking place from Monday 25 June to Sunday 1 July, with the majority of events happening on Thursday 28 June and at the weekend.
Registering your event on the engage website will provide you with a free website listing and some PR support.
For more information and to register events, see www.childrensartday.org.uk
The deadline for registering events is 29 May.
If you have any queries, telephone 020 7490 4690 or e-mail [email protected]

Safe and sound: new approaches to emergency planning
21 May, London
�110 for MA members, �185 for non-members
Museum buildings and collections face new threats. Climate change and terrorism add to the established risks from fire and flood and bring with them fresh challenges. This conference will present the latest thinking on preparing for and managing emergencies, assessing and minimising risk, working with emergency services and contributing to local partnerships.
Museums Association.  T: 020 7426 6940  E: [email protected]
W: http://www.museumsasociation.org/events/safeandsound

Objects of trade
21 - 22 May, London
�50 for MEG members, �85 for non-members
Sessions at the Museum Ethnographers Group annual conference will cover: networks of trade; cultures of trade; objects of trade; colonialism and trade; impacts of trade; and trade and collections.
Claire Warrior, National Maritime Museum.  T: 020 8312 8562  E: [email protected]

Introduction to the MA�s �Effective Collections� Programme
24 May, Edinburgh
Effective Collections is the Museums Association's UK-wide programme to make better use of stored collections. It will focus on two strands of work: enabling increased numbers of long loans; and encouraging a more active approach to disposal. This introduction to the programme aims to answer the following questions:

• What is Effective Collections?
• How does it fit with my own museum�s priorities and those of the Scottish museum sector?
• How can my museum become part of the pilot phase of this project?
• Can disposal or loans work already planned or underway be included in this programme?
• What funding is associated with this programme and how can I access it?

To book a place, contact the MA/SMC Development Officer Fiona Wilson.  T: 07901 534927  E: [email protected]

Industrial Heritage 2007
25 - 27 May, Kortrijk and Zwevegem, Belgium
25 Euros for E_FAITH members, 35 Euros for non-members
The European Federation of Associations of Industrial and Technical Heritage is organising a European contact weekend for volunteers and non-profit organisations that are engaged in the research, preservation, interpretation and/or the presentation of industrial and technical heritage. The main theme of the meeting will be European cross-border cooperation between industrial and technical heritage associations.
For details, see the E-FAITH website www.e-faith.org or e-mail [email protected]

Investing in Volunteers and Volunteering Impact Assessment Toolkit
29 May, Inverness / 31 May, Dundee
Free of charge
This Volunteer Development Scotland event will provide information about Investing in Volunteers (IiV) and the Volunteering Impact Assessment Toolkit.
IiV is the UK Quality Standard which benchmarks organisations commitment to high quality volunteer involvement.
The Toolkit can help you gain a greater understanding of how and why volunteering works in your organisation. In addition, it can be used to gather evidence to support funding bids, quality systems and information on the organisations� impact.
To attend, contact Hazel McAlpine.  T: 01786 479593  E: [email protected]

Care of Paper and Photographic Collections
7 June, Edinburgh
�35 for SMC members� volunteers, �85 for SMC / ASVA members,
�110 for non-members
An exploration of how paper and photographic collections can become damaged whilst on display, in storage and when being handled and measures that can be taken to prevent such damage.
SMC Training.  T: 0131 550 4110  E: [email protected]
W: http://scottishmuseums.org.uk/Training_Programme_May_-_June_2007.pdf

Collecting Cultures. Grants for Developing Museum and Gallery Collections
14 June, Edinburgh / 15 June, Inverness
The Heritage Lottery Fund has recently launched Collecting Cultures, an initiative to support programmes of strategic collecting in UK museums and galleries. The scheme will invest �3 million in programmes of strategic acquisition that will develop existing museum and gallery collections for public use, and enhance the professional knowledge and skills of people working in museums and galleries. The minimum grant available will be �50,000 and the maximum �200,000. There is one round of applications: the closing date is 1 November 2007.
Further information can be found at www.hlf.org.uk/collectingcultures
To attend one of the two seminars in Scotland about the scheme, contact Penny Dickson at HLF.  T: 0131 225 9450   E: [email protected]

Digital Dialogues: Using Technology to Personalise the Visitor Experience
15 June, London
�110 for MA members, �185 for non-members
Mobile phones, MP3 players, digital cameras and the internet are now mass consumer technologies. This conference will explore their potential to engage and inspire visitors and to support lifelong learning.
Museums Association.  T: 020 7426 6940  E: [email protected]
W: http://www.museumsassociation.org/events/digitaldialogues

Funding Touring Exhibitions
18 June, York
�20 for TEG members, �40 for non-members
This Touring Exhibitions Group seminar aims to provide advice and information on the different types of grant aid funding available for touring exhibitions from funding bodies and trusts as well as advice on how to produce a winning grant application.
Jasleen Kandhari, Touring Exhibitions Group.  E: [email protected] 
W: www.teg.org.uk/seminars

Object Handling and Packing
21 June, Manchester
�150 for MA members, �200 for non-members
Loans in and out, movements out of store, new displays. There are many reasons why objects are moved, and correct handling and packing can reduce the risk of damage.
This course will teach you how to assess objects; identify how and where best to support them; use the right equipment and materials; and ensure the safety of objects and handlers.
Museums Association.  T: 020 7426 6940  E: [email protected]
W: http://www.museumsassociation.org/events/objecthandlingandpacking

Evaluation � Why Bother? Using Evaluation as a Strategic Tool
21 - 22 June, Edinburgh
�70 per day or �120 for both days for VSG members, �80 per day or �140 for both days for non-members
The Visitor Studies Group summer school will include workshops on social outcomes, website evaluation and prototyping, a debate panel, and a �Marketplace of Ideas�.
For further information, contact Jenni Fuchs at NMS.  E: [email protected]
To book, contact Mary Phelps, VSG Administration. T: 020 8392 2357  E: [email protected]

Local Authority � Friend or Foe?
21-23 June, Ironbridge
�50 for AIM members, �85 for non-members
The conference will look at the realities of working with your Local Authority, for better or worse. All museums have to interact with their Local Authorities in some way � so how can we make the most of it?
The conference will also look at the concept of Social Enterprise and new ways of operating to deliver core purpose. How does it affect independent museums?
AIM Administration.  T: 02392 587751  E: [email protected]
W: http://www.aim-museums.co.uk/aim-conference.htm

Identifying and Managing Museum Pests
27 June, Edinburgh
Free of charge
This Preventive Conservation Forum meeting will discuss how PCF members prevent and control pest activity in their museums.  It will explore how to identify common pests and what�s involved in setting up a cost-effective and safe Integrated Pest Management (IPM) system.
Katie Simes, Preventive Conservation Officer, NMS.  T: 0131 247 4141 
E: [email protected]

Oral History Society Annual Conference
6 - 7 July, London
�80 for Oral History Society members, �95 for non-members
The Oral History Society conference will bring together community organisations, museums, libraries and archives, schools and universities to present their work and debate the nature, challenges and achievements of community oral histories.
For more information, contact Rob Perks, e-mail [email protected] or Annette Day, e-mail [email protected]  W: http://www.ohs.org.uk/conferences/2007.php

Introduction to Pest Management
17 July, Dundee
Free of charge
This NMS Knowledge Exchange Workshop aims to improve participants� general awareness of the damage insects and other pests can cause to collections and show how all staff can help to prevent serious damage. It will also suggest how museum curators can implement good procedures like object quarantine and a pest management programme for responsible collections management.
To book, contact Andrea Hallam.  E: [email protected]
W: http://www.nms.ac.uk/introductiontopestmanagement.aspx

Using Generic Learning Outcomes in Exhibition Planning
9 August, Perth
Free of charge
This NMS Knowledge Exchange Workshop is an opportunity to hear about NMS experience and offer an introduction to using Generic Learning Outcomes (GLOs). The GLO system uses five principles of learning outcomes to categorise the personal learning outcomes that users of museums, archives and libraries describe and experience.
To book, contact Andrea Hallam.  E: [email protected]
W: http://www.nms.ac.uk/usingglosinexhibitionplanning.aspx

Introduction to Visitor Studies and Evaluation
3 September, Forfar
Free of charge
This NMS Knowledge Exchange Workshop will share NMS experience of the value of Visitor Studies and Evaluation through recent case studies. It will explain the process of evaluation and share tools and scenarios for participants to use in their local situation.
To book, contact Andrea Hallam.  E: [email protected]
W: http://www.nms.ac.uk/introductiontovisitorstudiesandevaluation.aspx