The Museums Association (MA) has stated that it is considering putting in place new sanctions in a bid to deter local authorities from selling off works from public collections.
The announcement comes as MA reveal the results of its Cuts Survey 2014, completed by 95 museums and museums services, which explores the impact that the last four years of funding cuts have had on the sector.
In an unsurprising but worrying trend, the survey showed that numbers of full-time staff are down by 53% whilst volunteer roles have increased by 32% to fill the gap. This real loss of expertise, along with a growth in employment precarity and zero-hours contracts has, in particular, seen front line services take a hit.
Over the last year the dwindling resources have hastened a reduction in museum opening hours (21%) and school visits (36%), as well as the number of temporary exhibitions taking place. A key consequence has been that one in ten museums have considered shedding items from their collection in order to raise funds for running costs.
The Cuts Survey 2014 found that in these situations, it was the local authorities, rather than the museum trusts themselves who were considering this action. One survey respondent stated: “We the operating company [museum trust] won’t be considering financially-motivated disposal – the owners of the collections [the council] may decide to do otherwise.”
Drastic and unethical
Earlier this year a-n reported that the Museums Association barred Croydon City Council’s museums service from membership following the sale of items from the Riesco Collection, a sale that was deemed unethical. Northampton City Council received the same treatment for its sale of the Egyptian statue Sekhemka, with both local authorities losing Arts Council England accreditation.
As museums increasingly struggle financially, the Museums Association is having to consider how best to de-incentivise the selling off of public assets.
Sharon Heal, director of the Museums Association said: “We know there is huge pressure on public funding but it is very worrying that museums are being forced to consider drastic action to stave off the impact of the cuts. Once objects and collections are sold it is likely that they will be lost to the public forever.
“Our museums have proved incredibly resilient over the past few years. They account for a tiny proportion of public spending yet they have a huge impact in terms of learning, enjoyment, health and wellbeing and we need them now more than ever.”
The results of the Cuts Survey 2014 are available from the Museums Association website
Also on a-n.co.uk:
Croydon Council sells Chinese ceramics to fund venue repairs by Chris Sharratt
Museum services suffer as unpaid volunteers and interns replace staff by Liz Hill of Arts Professional
Cost of volunteering: will UK arts ecology pay the price? by David Trigg
