Museum Development North March Update

Join us via Zoom 2.00-3.30pm Thursday 18th April, to meet the MD North team and hear about the 2024-25 programme.

Find out more and book here.

Check out our fantastic new website 

The new MD North website will be your go to place for news, events, grants, Accreditation – the whole works!  

Take a peek now at: Museum Development North

Subscribe for MD North communications 

Everyone needs to re-subscribe to our new mailing list – if you haven’t done it already, that means you!

Whether you currently subscribe to MD North East, MD North West or MD Yorkshire – or all three – everyone needs to subscribe or re-subscribe to Museum Development North to keep in touch.

We encourage everyone working in or with museums in the north of England to subscribe, so that you hear about relevant opportunities, whatever your role. Don’t rely on others to pass it on – hear it direct from us!

Subscribe via this short form – it takes just 2 minutes to complete.

Wondering how we manage your data? Please read this: Privacy Statement Museum Development North.

MD North goes live – from April 2024 

From April, we will be providing programmes and grants across the north of England, plus support and advice for individual museums and museum networks.

Meet the team: Every museum will have a Museum Development Adviser as a point of contact. There will also be opportunities to work with people across the team through their different specialisms.

Training: We will continue to offer a range of training opportunities. See events for April to June 2024.

Grants: Our first round of MD North Open Grants opens for applications on 15 April 2024.

Our support programme for museums in the north of England responds to Arts Council England’s Strategy, Let’s Create and addresses the four Investment Principles.

About MD North 

MD North is managed by a new partnership between York Museums Trust, the Manchester Museums Partnership, Cumbria Museum Consortium and Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums.

The MD North partnership is funded by ACE, with an award of £1.4m to deliver museum development activity in the north of England from 1st April 2024 until 31st March 2026. Our new partnership builds on the team’s experience of collaborative working across the north of England since 2018.

Goodbye (for now) from MDNW

This is our final blog post before the MDNW team finish for Easter and, indeed, the final blog post of MDNW.

From 1^st April we become Museum Development North, merging with the current Museum Development Yorkshire and North East teams.

From April we will be found at www.museumdevelopmentnorth.org.uk (we don’t expect anyone to be poring over the website on Easter Monday, we definitely won’t be!). The MDNW website at https://museumdevelopmentnorthwest.wordpress.com will stay up for a few more weeks but there won’t be any new content added to it.

Our blog posts will be replaced with news on our website and a regular newsletter straight to your inbox if you have subscribed to MD North. Due to GDPR regulations we can’t take our list of subscribers to this blog over to the new website and newsletter so if you haven’t yet signed up to the new MD North newsletter and would like to do so, you can do that by clicking here – http://eepurl.com/iMx1pI [eepurl.com]

So, after 12 years of MDNW we have to get used to calling ourselves MD North. Throughout normal operations and the more crisis-induced times, we have tried to be a central point of focus and support, there for when you need us. And within the team we’ve had remarkable consistency; in 12 years there have been only 14 staff – original and new posts, maternity covers, secondments, apprentices and interns. Plus, only two external consultants as Accreditation Advisers.

That consistency should help make the new MD North programme look familiar to you – you will recognise the North West-based staff as well as meeting new staff; grant funding and development programmes will operate in a similar format to how they’ve been run across a sub-region.

We are saying goodbye at the end of this month to Bria Cotton, Programme Assistant, although Bria continues working at The Whitworth and is taking up a new role at Manchester Museum, and Baz Rashid, Museum Development Officer (Workforce & Skills) returns to his original post at Manchester Museum at the end of his secondment with us.

Carrying on to MD North are:

• Kaye Hardyman, Museum Development Officer covering Lancashire and Cumbria
• Lynsey Jones, Museum Development Officer covering Cheshire, Merseyside and Greater Manchester
• Alison Criddle, Museum Development Officer (Environmental Responsibility)

It’s been a pleasure and a privilege to work with you all in the North West, and after Easter, we’ll see you all again as Museum Development North. But for now…

Free image/jpeg, Resolution: 1920×1080, File size: 191Kb, Thats All Folks

Job Opportunity: Wirral Council

Curator
Salary: £29,777 – £33,024 plus benefits
Location: Wirral
Contract: Permanent
Working Pattern: Flexible Hours/Full Time
Hours: 36 hours per week.
Closing Date: 19^th April 2024 at 23:59
Interview Date: 1^st May 2024 

From Wirral Council:

There has never been a more exciting time to join Wirral Council. We’ve got ambitious targets to meet and to achieve everything we have promised to our residents, we need people who are ready to deliver the very best for our communities and show how they can #BeTheDifference. Our vision is to secure the best possible future for our residents, defined by the community prosperity we create and supported by our excellent people and services. If you strive to #BeTheDifference and want to be at the heart of our change and improvement journey, then this could be the perfect job for you.

Curator
About the Role:
Wirral Museums is a vibrant service that cares for a diverse collection, across two sites on behalf of Wirral Borough Council and the people of the city region.

We bring stories alive through exhibitions, events, and activities across both of our venues.  A passion for audience and community is at the heart of what we do.  We are constantly striving to improve and encourage engagement with our growing audience.

About the candidate:
We are seeking a Curator to lead and manage a team of talented staff. You will drive forward change and look at news ways to present our collection whilst developing audience and income sources.

Working alongside the Venue Manager, you will be responsible for the successful delivery of exhibitions, collections care and school’s service.

We would like to hear from you if you are experienced in line management and getting the best out of a team.  This is a great opportunity to join Wirral Museums at an exciting time as we celebrate Borough of Culture and look ahead to the transformation of Birkenhead Priory and our 100th birthday.  If that dynamic, passionate, and driven person is you come and join us!

For an informal conversation about the post please contact janetmcdermott@wirral.gov.uk.

For full details please go to https://ats-wirraljobs.jgp.co.uk/vacancies/275387?type=list [ats-wirraljobs.jgp.co.uk] 

Job Opportunities: Metal

Senior Operations Producer
Salary: £30,000 per annum
Location: You have the option to work from home or at one of the Metal sites in Liverpool, Peterborough or Southend-on-Sea.
Hours: 9am – 5.30pm (Tuesday to Friday negotiable)
Contract: Full time, permanent, 4 day working week
Closing date: Monday 22 April at 10am

Join Metal as a Senior Operations Producer. This is a new role for the organisation, working collaboratively with the fantastic team at Metal. Throughout 2024, the team are embarking on developing a new strategy and new methodology that allow Metal to be both responsive to the immediate needs of artists/local communities and to address long-term change and wider societal issues. The Senior Operations Producer will play a key role in raising the profile of operations and governance, supporting the delivery of this strategy and ensuring the smooth running of Metal’s buildings in Liverpool, Peterborough and Southend. You will be a dynamic, creative thinker who will be excited to help mould Metal’s infrastructure and new ways of working. The post is key to the smooth running of Metal, overseeing and supporting each site with the maintenance and upkeep of each building and their systems, as well as supporting the Executive Director with HR matters, new policy development and the earned income strategy. Learn more about the role and apply here: https://bit.ly/3n2vdY3 [bit.ly]

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Head of Programmes and Partnerships
Salary: £30,000 per annum
Location: You have the option to work from home or at one of the Metal sites in Liverpool, Peterborough or Southend-on-Sea.
Hours: 9am – 5.30pm (Tuesday to Thursday negotiable)
Contract: Part time, 3 days per week, permanent
Closing date: Monday 29 April at 10am

The Head of Programmes & Partnerships is a new role leading Metal’s cross-disciplinary national and international programmes to take Metal into its next chapter. Throughout 2024, Metal is developing a new strategy and new methodology. The strategy will aim to inspire positive change through art and creativity and will consider how Metal has a local impact in its three locations as well as a national and international voice. The Head of Programmes & Partnerships will play a vital role in growing Metal’s ambitions, impact and profile at this exciting time and will work closely with Metal’s Artistic Director & CEO. Metal is looking for an inspiring leader with creative vision who will have a mandate to devise and deliver high-profile national and international programmes that aim to inspire social change. They will be particularly excited to develop new partnerships and embody their commitment to diversity, access and environmental sustainability in Metal’s programming. They will share Metal’s values and will take a flexible approach to working across multiple sites with region-based programming teams in Liverpool, Peterborough and Cambridgeshire, and Southend-on-Sea and South Essex. Learn more about the role and apply here: https://bit.ly/3n2vdY3 [bit.ly]

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Programme and Operations Administrator (maternity cover)
Salary: £22,490 per annum
Location: Chauffeurs Cottage, St Peters Road, Peterborough
Hours: 9am – 5.30pm (Monday to Thursday with occasional evenings and weekend work)
Contract: Full time, 13-month fixed term, maternity cover contract, 4 day working week
Closing date: Thursday 18 April 2024 at 10am

Join Metal Peterborough as a Programme and Operations Administrator. Metal is looking for a bright, motivated and hard-working Programmes and Operations Administrator (maternity cover) for their Peterborough office. You will join a small, committed and highly motivated team. You will have excellent organisational and interpersonal skills, often being the public face of the organisation and the first point of contact for artists and audiences. The role is very hands-on, and no two days are alike. You will also have the opportunity to work alongside the team on many exciting artists’ projects. This opportunity has become available due to a member of staff going on maternity leave. Learn more about the role and apply here: https://bit.ly/3n2vdY3 [bit.ly]

For more information about Metal see here – www.metalculture.com

MDNW annual report 2023-24 and Sustainable Improvement Fund report 2018-24

Museum Development North West is pleased to publish our Annual Report for 2023-24 – Annual report 2023-24 FINAL. This report details the investment and delivery of the Museum Development North West programme in 2023-2024.

We are also publishing ‘Small Change, Big Change’, outlining the investment into North West museums through our small grants fund, the Sustainable Improvement Fund (SIF) – SIF 2018-24 FINAL. The report covers 2018-24, our final funding period from Arts Council England (ACE), but also looks at the total investment in SIF across the whole MDNW programme, 2012-24.

MDNW has been funded by Arts Council England (ACE) since 2012. From April 2024, the regional Museum Development teams in the north will come together to form Museum Development North, one area team covering the same geographical footprint.

The MD North partnership is being funded by ACE with an award of £1.4m to deliver museum development activity in the north of England from April 2024 until March 2026. This new partnership builds on the team’s experience of collaborative working across the north of England since 2018.

There will be a small grants fund as part of the MD North programme. The first round will be launching in spring 2024.

We are doing an online launch event to meet the MD North team and hear about the 2024-25 programme. We will be on Zoom 2.00-3.30pm Thursday 18^th April.

You can book a free place here https://buytickets.at/museumdevelopmentnorth/1174905

Job Opportunity: Human History Curator, Tullie House Museum & Art Gallery Trust, Carlisle

Organisation: Tullie House Museum & Art Gallery Trust 

Location: Carlisle 

Salary & Hours: £29,300 – £31,004 per annum, Full Time (37 hours p/w), Permanent 

Closing date: 12pm (midday) Friday 19^th April 

Tullie aims to be different. As an organisation we reach beyond the expected, push boundaries and strive to share knowledge. We aim to redefine what a museum can be. Would you like to be part of this? 

We are looking for a Human History Curator with a passion for making the collections in their care as accessible as possible, so that our diverse communities can be inspired by the stories they tell. You will put audiences at the heart of everything we do, championing greater understanding, appreciation and engagement of the museum’s inspirational Human History collection. We want someone with the creativity, imagination and drive to celebrate archaeology and social history collections within our major capital development programme, Project Tullie which will transform the museum over the next decade.  

From butterflies to Pre-Raphaelites, treasure hoards to ticket machines, Tullie has a richly diverse and significant range of collections that includes Archaeology, Fine & Decorative Art, Social History and a Nationally Designated collection of Natural Sciences sitting at the heart of Carlisle’s unique heritage story. The Human History collection represents the breadth and diversity of Carlisle and Cumbria’s story: its role as one of the most important prehistoric trading posts in Britain, its internationally significant position on Hadrian’s Wall, the UNESCO World Heritage Site and the untold story of medieval Carlisle, the most besieged city in England. In more recent memory, the collection also records much of Carlisle’s social history from Border Reivers to its unique railway heritage, telling a story of Cumbria that spans ages and social classes. 

Tullie House Museum & Art Gallery Trust is a major independent regional museum welcoming over 200,000 visitors every year. We are the lead organisation of the Cumbria Museum Consortium, an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation. Our Manifesto places collections at the heart of everything we do: we use them to inspire co-creation and active participation, celebrate diversity and champion equality, and foster a sense of pride in the people of Carlisle and Cumbria for their unique local history. 

This is a unique opportunity to be part of a major programme of development for Tullie: Project Tullie is the Museum’s Futureplan for transforming the organisation into the creative and cultural heart of the region for the 21st century through a comprehensive redevelopment of the main Museum site.  You will work with the Collections & Access Manager and the Curatorial team to develop dynamic and sector-leading gallery spaces that blend innovative storytelling, co-curation and interactivity into unique visitor experiences. 

Purpose of the Role 

• To curate and manage the Archaeology & Social History collections (which comprise the Human History Collection) to recognised professional standards, under the direction of the Collections and Access Manager, and to increase access to this collection for research, engagement, income generation and Project Tullie. 
• To work with colleagues across the organisation to develop innovative projects, exhibitions and events focusing on the Human History Collection in order to support the delivery of the museum’s Manifesto, Business Plan and Audience Development Plan objectives. 

• To manage national partnerships and engagement with interested parties associated with the Archaeology collection, including partners along the Hadrian’s Wall Corridor, UNESCO and the British Museum. 

Salary 

£29,300 – £31,004 per annum 

Application Process 

If you are inspired by the role and would like to apply for the position, please visit https://tullie.org.uk/get-involved/jobs/  and send your CV and a covering statement (of no more than 500 words), detailing any relevant experience and knowledge, and what interests you about this role to hr@tulliehouse.org by 12pm (midday) on Friday 19^th April. 

Candidates invited to interview will be notified by 12pm on Tuesday 23^rd April. 

Interviews will be held on Thursday 25th April – we strongly encourage candidates to attend in person, but a video option will be made available if this isn’t possible. 

We are an equal opportunities employer and are fully committed to providing opportunities to all. As this role involves working in our stores, which are not always as accessible as we would like, please do contact us if you have any additional needs and would like to discuss this with us. 

If you have any further questions, please contact HR or Sophie Terrett, Collections & Access Manager at sophie.terrett@tulliehouse.org   

Job Opportunity: Collections Information Manager, Manchester Museum

Job Opportunity: Manchester Museum 
Job title: Collections Information Manager 
Salary: £45,585 – £56,021 
Location: Manchester Museum 
Hours: Full Time (flexible working will be considered) 
Contract: Permanent 
Closing date: 8/4/2024 

As lead for collections management systems and strategy, you’ll be responsible for bringing both order and imagination to Manchester Museum’s digital collections work. We’re looking for someone who can balance driving improvements in collections data quality and consistency with enthusing about the potential of digital collections to deliver on Manchester Museum’s values of care, imagination and inclusion. 

You’ll understand collections management systems inside out and be able to train, support and motivate others to get the most from them.  Manchester Museum’s collections hold an estimated 4.5 million objects and specimens ranging from Egyptian sculptures to taxidermy birds, from Roman coins to herbarium sheets. Working with subject specialist staff, you’ll develop our EMu collections management system to hold wide-ranging data and diverse knowledges while maintaining consistent core documentation standards. 

Strong technical skills are vital, alongside ability to collaborate with University of Manchester ICT colleagues and get the most from our CMS support contract. You’ll also communicate effectively with non-specialists, unpacking technical information and crafting compelling project proposals. You’ll manage the Collections Digitisation and Access Co-ordinator and lead our Transforming Digital Access programme (supported by the Foyle Foundation), so the ability to manage parallel projects and tasks while maintaining a clear overall strategic direction is a must. 

Manchester Museum is part of the University of Manchester and is one of the world’s leading university museums. You’ll thrive in this context, supporting teaching and research use of collections and connecting with the University of Manchester’s Digital Futures work. We’re part of the Manchester Museum’s Partnership, so you’ll find common cause with the Whitworth Art Gallery and Manchester Art Gallery, particularly around online collections publishing. 

Please note that we are unable to accept CVs or applications from Recruitment Agencies. All applications should be made via the University of Manchester’s JobTrain online application system via this link: https://www.jobs.manchester.ac.uk/Job/JobDetail?JobId=28433 

Enquiries about the vacancy should be directed to Georgina Young, Head of Collections and Exhibitions Georgina.Young@manchester.ac.uk  

Heritage Volunteer Group North West (HVG NW) – Volunteer Managers Meeting, 29.4.24

Our next Heritage Volunteer Group North West, Volunteer Managers Meeting will take place on Monday 29 April at Chester Zoo. This regional network of the national Heritage Volunteer Group offers  support to other Volunteer Managers across the North West providing a platform to share best practice, access peer support and take part in training and development. 

To find out more about the network and to register to attend this meeting please email Kate by Monday 8 April: 

Kate.Glynn@manchester.ac.uk

National Archives Monthly Bulletin

 

Last chance to complete the archive sector survey 2024 

Our first-ever annual survey of all archives in England is closing soon. While we regularly hear from many of you through our smaller surveys on specific topics, this survey will provide us with the standardised, baseline data that we need to effectively advocate on behalf of archives to Government, national funders and other strategic bodies. Without up-to-date information about the several thousand archives across the country, we can’t make the strongest case possible to tackle the biggest challenges that we face as a sector. 

Please note: if we have contacted your archive to take part in this year’s Local Authority Archive Benchmarking Exercise, please complete the benchmarking exercise instead.

Complete the survey for your archive today [smartsurvey.co.uk] 

Update on Archives Revealed 

With the award of our Scoping Grants in February 2024, the Archives Revealed funding programme is now finishing its current three-year cycle. The partnership is using the time between funding cycles to strategically evaluate the programme and explore expanding fundraising options. We will be publishing further information in June 2024 about the programme’s return and next funding rounds.

ARCHON codes

An ARCHON code is a unique identifier used for ISAD(G) compliant cataloguing which identifies entries in the Find An Archive Directory [discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk]. Find An Archive is an online database of contact and access details of archives within the UK and selected international archives. If you are an archivist or custodian of original materials (such as manuscripts, photographs, etc.) that relate to British history and if you can provide public access to them, you can apply for an ARCHON code. Once your archive receives an ARCHON entry and repository code, you can then add information about your holdings to our Discovery database and other UK archive networks.

Apply for an ARCHON code [nationalarchives.gov.uk]

Calling all archives with Irish collections
In collaboration with our partners in the Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland [virtualtreasury.ie] research programme (VRTI), we’re hosting an event this September to bring together institutions from across Britain that hold Irish collections. The event will be an opportunity for archives to share knowledge of their collections and find out how they could contribute to the VRTI programme’s work to rebuild virtually the collections that were lost in the 1922 destruction of the Public Record Office of Ireland. We are seeking expressions of interest to attend this event and also proposals for short presentations on relevant collections.
Express your interest in the ‘Tracing Irish Records in British archives’ event [nationalarchives.gov.uk]

Seeking feedback on our CMS and DAMS options 

We are currently reviewing our website resources and are looking for feedback on our spreadsheet of Collections Management System (CMS) and Digital Asset Management System (DAMS) options for archives (found on our Cataloguing systems and archive networks [nationalarchives.gov.uk]webpage). We would like to hear from you if you’ve used the spreadsheet and found it useful or have any comments about the structure of the spreadsheet and how easy it is to use. 

Please send any thoughts and feedback to us by Friday 12 April

Call for nominations to serve on the ARA Board

If you’re an Archives & Records Association (ARA) member and are looking to use your skills and experience in a wider context and gain more knowledge of the sector at a strategic level, there is an opportunity to stand for election to the ARA Board. You will have the opportunity to have your say about how ARA can improve things in the sector. 

The annual elections to the ARA Board take place at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). This year’s AGM is on 14 June 2024 and will be held online. The deadline for nominations is 14 April.

Learn more about the call for nominations [archives.org.uk]

Get your community archive on the map
The Community Archives and Heritage Group [communityarchives.org.uk] (CAHG) is a national group which aims to support and promote community archives in the UK & Ireland. It maintains a comprehensive listing of community archives, currently numbering over 750 archives, which are displayed on an interactive map [communityarchives.org.uk].  CAHG is running a project to increase the number and diversity of groups in the directory. Many groups don’t get round to creating an entry just because of time pressures, so for the next few months CAHG can help community archives create an entry [communityarchives.org.uk].

National events
A guide to onboarding and mentoring an apprentice (online)
26 March (10am – 12pm)
This workshop for employers will discuss onboarding and mentoring an apprentice, and explore what you need to do and consider throughout the process. We will explore what onboarding is and the five points of onboarding, who should be involved, and what your organisations already do. We will explore the importance and benefits of mentoring, how to support an apprentice and finding the right mentor. This session will be of interest to employers who are considering introducing an apprenticeship into their archive service but are not sure where to start and could benefit from further guidance.
Find out more and register for the ‘guide to onboarding and mentoring an apprentice’ workshop[eventbrite.co.uk]

MAPLE – new resources and support event (online)
15 April (1pm – 1:40pm)
The Major Archive Projects Learning Exchange (MAPLE) was set up in 2007 to support organisations planning or managing large archive projects, primarily capital developments. This event will showcase the support that The National Archives can offer through a new suite of webpages. We will also hear from Jess Hogg, Cultural Services Manager at Heritage Doncaster, about the support TNA provided during their recent capital development project.
Find out more and register to attend the MAPLE event [eventbrite.co.uk]

Valuing student union records and archives (in-person)
21 May (10am – 4pm)
This in-person event at UCL will highlight the importance of caring for and making accessible student union records. There will also be a workshop which will form the basis of future guidance. As part of the event there will be a tour of the exhibition ‘Generation UCL: 200 Years of Student Life in London’. This event has been organised by the Higher Education Archives Programme[nationalarchives.gov.uk] (HEAP) in partnership with UCL, supported by the British Academy Research Project ‘Archiving the Mixed Economy of Welfare [voluntarysectorarchives.org.uk]‘. This event will be of interest to archivists, historians, students and student union representatives.Find out more and register to attend the HEAP event [eventbrite.co.uk]

Job Opportunity: Assistant Museum Curator, Mercer Art Gallery, Harrogate

Salary: £29,269

Contract Type: Permanent

Hours: 37 hours per week (Full time)

Weekend Working: Occasional

Location: Mercer Art Gallery in Harrogate

Venue for Interview: Mercer Art Gallery, Harrogate 

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Assistant Museum Curator within the Culture & Archives team at North Yorkshire Council, which will be based at the Mercer Art Gallery in Harrogate.

The Assistant Museum Curator will provide specialist care of the NYC museum collections located at the Mercer Art Gallery and Royal Pump Room in Harrogate, along with the Courthouse Museum at Knaresborough Castle.

They will facilitate public access to the collection, organising museum-related audience development activity; and in collaboration with the Lead Museums’ Curator, offer curatorial advice and ensure policies and procedures are followed in line with accreditation standards.

The postholder will also undertake research related to collections and creative thinking to develop public engagement opportunities with the Harrogate collections, as well as our broader heritage across North Yorkshire. 

This is a great time to join us as you will also be part of a new Culture and Archives team at North Yorkshire Council, which has seen the coming together of officers from across the county, offering the opportunity to share skills and collaborate.

The successful candidate will be a highly organised, motivated individual with a passion for community engagement and making museums accessible for all.

Key Dates:

Closing Date: 8 April 2024 

Interview Date: To be Confirmed

Enhanced Level DBS Disclosure is required for appointment to this post. 

Supporting Documents:

Job Description.docx