Accreditation: The UK Standard for Museums & Galleries - The New Approach

Accreditation: The UK standard for museums & galleries the new approach Isabel Wilson Project Manager: Quality & Standards, MLA …………………………… Tuesday, June 7, 2011 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… ........ Accreditation Development Project Isabel Wilson

Accreditation 2011: Do we need it? …………………………………… . Tuesday, June 7, 2011 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ........ Accreditation Development Project Isabel Wilson 0
22 years supporting UK museums to raise standards
High levels of voluntary participation & new interest
Evidence that externally validated standard is highly valued across sector
Distinct from the range of improvement frameworks and national standards
The Museum Standard is about the inter-relationship between people and collections
Recognition from external stakeholders
Accreditation brings the museum community together
Yes – the foundation for museum development

Challenges for the next few years 0
Reduction in public funding
Increased competition for visits
Possibilities of technology
Retaining staff
Reviewing building footprints
Environmental pressures
…………………………………… . Tuesday, June 7, 2011 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ........ Accreditation Development Project Isabel Wilson

0 …………………………………… . Tuesday, June 7, 2011 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ........ Accreditation Development Project Isabel Wilson Challenges for the next few years
Diversifying income for longer term sustainability
Rethinking what museums are for
Serving communities, building relevance
Balancing demands of collections management
Developing new business models
Greater reliance on volunteers
Keeping up with user expectations

What were the aims in developing it? 0 …………………………………… . Tuesday, June 7, 2011 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ........ Accreditation Development Project Isabel Wilson
To evolve it so it addresses current and future issues
To embrace consumer view
To make it more centrally useful to museums
To streamline the process for participants
To consult widely to ensure standard is appropriate
To support strategic advocacy for museums
To strengthen it as a benchmark; a badged award and as an improvement tool.

0 …………………………………… . Tuesday, June 7, 2011 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ........ Accreditation Development Project Isabel Wilson Accreditation 2011 - new emphasis and approach
Focus on organisational sustainability
(only ‘fit’ museums will survive – and not all of them!)
Responsive to communities with service delivery and development influenced by feedback
Interest in ‘how’ doing things not just ‘what’ doing
Less of a strait jacket
Less of a discrete exercise
Existing participants don’t apply from scratch
Accreditation as a prompt and a framework to help museums address resilience and relevance

The evolution of the Standard …………………………………… . Tuesday, June 7, 2011 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ........ Accreditation Development Project Robert Taylor 0 Robert Taylor Accreditation Committee Member

The new standard 0
1988 Registration
1995 Registration Phase Two
2004 Accreditation Standard
2011 Further developed Accreditation Standard
…………………………………… . Tuesday, June 7, 2011 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ........ Accreditation Development Project Robert Taylor

Changes to the standard 0 …………………………………… . Tuesday, June 7, 2011 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ........ Accreditation Development Project Robert Taylor
Accreditation 2004
Governance and museums management
User services
Visitor facilities
Collections management

Accreditation 2011
Organisational health :
Accredited museum as responsible, responsive and resilient.
Collections :
Accredited museums effectively manage and make collections available for everyone.
Users and their experiences :
Accredited museums are welcoming and accessible and have a planned approach to identifying and providing a good quality service for a broad range of users, bringing people and collections together.

0 …………………………………… . Tuesday, June 7, 2011 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ........ Accreditation Development Project Robert Taylor Benefits of change
Helps organisations focus on planning and key activities
Helps governing bodies focus on what is important
Reflects improvements in collections management practice
Ensures the user experience is given a high priority

Organisational health …………………………………… . Tuesday, June 7, 2011 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ........ Accreditation Development Project Robert Taylor 0
Appropriate management arrangements
Effective forward planning, which includes:
A review of the previous plan
Analysis of the environment to understand the risks
Key aims
An action plan to achieve objectives
A resource plan

The Committee’s role 0
Provide advocacy for the scheme
Provide external validation of the scheme
Ensure standards are maintained
Provide expertise to assess what is an appropriate standard for each museum

Scalability 0 …………………………………… . Tuesday, June 7, 2011 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ........ Accreditation Development Project Robert Taylor
Accreditation has always been an inclusive standard
The new Standard will continue this
The Committee ensures that the requirements are interpreted appropriately
Transparency around assessment criteria

0 …………………………………… . Tuesday, June 7, 2011 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ........ Accreditation Development Project Robert Taylor Current challenges
Reductions in resources
Reductions in museums’ staff
Reductions in opening hours
Closure/consolidation/ relocation of collections
Financially motivated disposal

Benefits to museums …………………………………… . Tuesday, June 7, 2011 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ........ Accreditation Development Project Robert Taylor 0
Public recognition
Confidence for potential donors
Staff morale and motivation
Importance of core curatorial services
Eligibility for grant aid

Accreditation 2011 What does this mean for my organisation? 0 Samuel Rowlands Accreditation Manager, MLA …………………………………… . Tuesday, June 7, 2011 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ........ Accreditation Development Project Samuel Rowlands

Accreditation 2011 How can this help my museum? 0 …………………………………… . Tuesday, June 7, 2011 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ........ Accreditation Development Project Samuel Rowlands
Provide external support and advice for developing key policies and plans
Provides a flexible framework to use as needed by your museum
Provides effective and timely prompts to ensure all key management policies and plans are up-to-date and relevant
Provides access to funding
Offers recommendations for improvements linked to the standard by looking holistically at your museum
Encourages regular reviews of your whole organisation

0 …………………………………… . Tuesday, June 7, 2011 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ........ Accreditation Development Project Samuel Rowlands Accreditation 2011 Key points
Accreditation is a UK scheme
(including the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey)
Decisions are made by an independent expert panel
A badged award understood by external stakeholders
Mark of a decent museum
Retains shortcuts: IiP, VAQAS & Visit Scotland
Scalable standard for all eligible museums
Existing policies and plans remain compliant and can be developed longer term by agreed review date
Participants will also be able to request an early return review for specific local or political reasons or to combine return reporting for a service with multiple sites

Accreditation 2011 Roll out 0 …………………………………… . Tuesday, June 7, 2011 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ........ Accreditation Development Project Samuel Rowlands
Scheme management will transfer from MLA to Arts Council England on 1st October 2011
Accreditation (v2011) will be launched during October 2011
New applicants will be welcomed from 1 st November 2011
The 2011 Standard will be implemented through Biennial Returns, not new applications (for existing participants)
Existing participants will be timetabled in phases dependent on when they were last fully assessed
A full rollout plan will be published

Accreditation 2011 What documents will be available? 0
The Accreditation Standard (v2011)
Assessment Guidance
Published case studies and toolkits
Model documents and templates
Support from www.collectionslink.org.uk
…………………………………… . Tuesday, June 7, 2011 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ........ Accreditation Development Project Samuel Rowlands

What do you think? …………………………………… . Tuesday, 7 June, 2011 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ........ Accreditation Development Project 0

Accreditation: The UK Standard for Museums & Galleries - The New Approach

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