Culture,

knowledge and
understanding:
great museums
and libraries
for everyone
A companion document
to Achieving great art
for everyone
Page 1

Contents

02 Foreword by Dame Liz Forgan

04 A shared vision
07 Executive summary
09 Today and looking forward
15 Long-term vision and goals
28 Our role in the museums and
libraries sectors 2011–15
31 Our plans 2011–15
34 Evaluating success
35 Have your say
Culture, knowledge and understanding: great museums and libraries for everyone Pages 2/3

But the key test of this vision can only be whether the public has
access to better museums, libraries and arts experiences as a result.

Foreword As I argued in my foreword to Achieving great art for everyone,

excellence must be our guiding star. For museums and libraries, as
with the arts, we will unashamedly focus our support on the most
excellent; we will seek out originality and innovation, curatorial and
DAME Liz Forgan, Chair, Arts Council England scholarly endeavour, inspiring interpretation and real engagement
with people and communities.
In spring 2011 Arts Council England asked Baroness Morris In the current fiscal squeeze, it is perhaps no surprise that people
to provide an independent view on its strategic framework, sometimes question the role of public funding in culture, seeing it as
Achieving great art for everyone. Specifically, we asked her an ‘add-on’ or ‘nice to have’ in straightened times. I would fiercely
how the Arts Council could adjust its vision for the arts in the argue the counter: that the arts and culture are absolutely central to
next 10 years to embrace the museums and libraries sectors the life of the nation, and that every individual should have the right
and serve its new wider sphere of influence. to experience their richness as part of their life experience, personal
We had accepted our new responsibilities with delight but also with development and wellbeing. I would go further, and say that at times
caution. We were conscious of the limited role we could play in the of difficulty, they are even more important, but that this is why public
development of both libraries and museums, under current funding funders must be stringent in demanding excellence.
constraints. We were determined that all the work we had done This is the challenge handed to the Arts Council as we take up
setting clear new directions for the arts should not be prejudiced by a broader cultural baton: to support and encourage our cultural
other calls on our energy and attention. But we were also determined institutions to provide the public with simply the best possible. Within
to do everything possible to support these important institutions, this shared purpose, I believe that arts organisations, museums and
their proud histories and unique collections, and to make the most libraries are well placed to claim their rightful place as an essential
of the opportunities presented by the wider cultural remit coming part of civil society.
our way. We were therefore reassured by the enthusiasm with which
Estelle approached her review, and excited by the opportunities she saw.
In particular, we are grateful to Baroness Morris for so clearly
identifying both the essential differences between museums, libraries
and the arts, and also the many things they share. Distinctive skills,
disciplines and purposes must be understood and respected but the
potential for these three great strands of our culture drawing closer
together is rich in opportunity for artists, scholars, audiences and
visitors of all kinds. The alchemy is in the connection between the
past, the present and the future; between creative and interpretative
skills; between reading, seeing, hearing and thinking; between
different aspects of the cultural life of the nation and its citizens.
Culture, knowledge and understanding: great museums and libraries for everyone Pages 4/5

Since we were asked to take on these new responsibilities we’ve

been working hard to integrate them and this autumn a new cohort

A shared vision of expert staff is joining us as we begin to take up the reins from
the MLA. As part of the process we have been listening carefully – to
people working in museums and libraries, as well as in the arts – so
that we can begin to understand their particular needs and priorities
ALAN DAVEY, Chief Executive, Arts Council England and articulate what our new broader role will mean.
We had a strong context within which to approach the exercise, having
Arts Council England has, over many years, developed many recently completed a major strategic review in partnership with the arts
areas of expertise: distributing Treasury and Lottery funding to sector. Achieving great art for everyone, published in November 2010,
enable the artistic life of the nation to flourish; developing the provides a framework of ambition for the Arts Council, setting out the
arts and the public appetite for all that they can offer; and taking fields in which we want public subsidy to ensure that first of all excellent
a central role in cultural leadership and advocacy. I think we are art happens, and that people can experience it.
at the heart of what this country is about – curiosity, challenge,
creativity, free expression, an appreciation of beauty and a So the challenge became: was the framework robust enough to
capacity for wonder, ensuring the arts are there and can help accommodate our new, wider responsibilities and to guide the
people understand the world they live in and approach. work we would do with museums and libraries? Where did it need
adjusting? We asked Baroness Morris to give us an external view
In December 2010, when the Secretary of State for Culture asked of this and her report was published in the summer. Meanwhile,
us to take on the museums and libraries responsibilities that the we carried on talking and listening.
Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) had fulfilled, we
accepted with excitement, tinged with nervousness, recognising This companion document to our strategic framework represents
the many opportunities if we get it right. the culmination of these initial conversations. It is meant to be read
alongside the original, but also to stand alone. It focuses on museums
The arts have in many ways changed and shaped my life, but when and libraries, and how the long-term goals we established to guide
I think about it, so have museums and libraries. I remember well the our investment in the arts will be modified to guide our work with
local library where I grew up and the thrill of having your own tickets museums and libraries. In particular, it clarifies the framework for
and being allowed to choose your own books: the transition to the the decisions we will make for the remainder of this spending period.
adult library and the place where I found the space to read and study: It also starts to explore some of the benefits and opportunities for
the place where I found a Greek/English text of The Odyssey, adored museums and libraries and the arts in being able to work across a
the story in English and vowed one day to read ancient Greek. I also wider cultural footprint.
remember the local museum with its reconstructed period street
and strange household objects from beyond my grandparents time;
it made the history of where I came from live.
So actually, my life has been shaped by the whole spectrum of
arts, museums and libraries – what in bureaucratic terms we can
say is a ‘single cultural offer’. It makes sense – and it will make sense
as we represent these sectors together going forwards.
Culture, knowledge and understanding: great museums and libraries for everyone Pages 6/7

Unlike Achieving great art for everyone, which was built on two
years of consultation, this document is not a final statement. While
we can provide relative clarity about our directions in the short-term,
we recognise we have a lot to do to get the best out of an alliance EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
between the arts, museums and libraries in the long-term. So we
hope that what is set down here is viewed more as an initial marker,
a shared starting point that will prompt longer, deeper conversations
over the coming year to inform how we position a single vision for
the arts and culture into the next spending period. In future, we do Arts Council England is the lead body charged with developing
not expect to publish separate frameworks for the arts and for museums the arts in England. In October 2011, we will add museums
and libraries, but before we can bring them together, we must do and libraries to our responsibilities. As with the arts, this will
the proper groundwork. see us championing, developing and investing in museums and
Alongside this document, we are publishing a number of pieces of libraries so that people’s lives can be shaped and enriched by
work that have informed it, notably a review of evidence that we artistic and cultural experiences and knowledge.
undertook both to familiarise ourselves with the landscape and to
inform our research work in future. We hope that, in combination,
A 10-year strategic framework
they convey the opportunities we can glimpse, and the excitement we
feel about a single vision placing the arts, museums and libraries In November 2010, the Arts Council published Achieving great art for
at the heart of civic life and serving the public in a simpler, more everyone, a strategic framework for our work over the next 10 years
connected and powerful way. that will encourage shared purpose and partnerships across the arts.
This companion document is our first attempt to integrate museums
and libraries into this framework. It is designed to provide certainty as
to the programmes the Arts Council will run from 2011–15 while
soliciting further debate about the directions we should take in the
longer term.

Long-term goals

At the heart of the framework are five 10-year goals, the substance
of which have been adapted to reflect the needs and priorities for
museums and libraries and sit alongside our existing goals for the arts:
• Goal 1: Excellence is thriving and celebrated in museums and libraries
• Goal 2: More people experience and are inspired by museums
and libraries
• Goal 3: Museums and libraries are sustainable, resilient
and innovative
Culture, knowledge and understanding: great museums and libraries for everyone Pages 8/9

• Goal 4: The leadership and workforce in museums and libraries are

diverse and highly skilled.
• Goal 5: Every child and young person has the opportunity to
experience the richness of museums and libraries. today and looking
This section sets out why the Arts Council believes each goal is an forward
important area of work and what we will do to deliver it.

Our role and plans 2011–15

This section describes how the Arts Council sees its role in museums The landscape
and libraries in the short-term, and the ways in which we will champion,
develop and invest in these sectors. It provides details of the England’s museum sector has grown organically over the last
programmes the Arts Council will run from 2011–15 including the two hundred years and currently numbers some 1,600 individual
Future Libraries programme, Renaissance in the Regions, the standards organisations. It is extraordinarily diverse, with no one typical
and cultural property functions that will transfer and the projects that museum or museum type. A great strength of the sector is this
the MLA had put in place in celebration of the London 2012 Olympic diversity, and the range of funding, governance, collections,
and Paralympic Games. staff and interpretation methods within it. Some museums have seen
spectacular improvements in the last 15 years. A number of factors
have resulted in buildings being revitalised, extended and rebuilt,
Working together for change learning and education programmes growing in quality and stature,
In the long-term, we expect that Arts Council England will not and innovative public programmes inspiring more people. A new
have separate strategies for museums, libraries and the arts. We optimism, entrepreneurial spirit and leadership have emerged among
will use the same framework to drive all of our programmes and museum staff. A wealth of statistics, some of which we explore in
inform all of our funding decisions. We will evaluate our success the accompanying evidence review, show how this transformation
using common goals for museums, libraries and the arts, and will has had a major impact on audiences.
establish a robust evidence base that can inform our policy-making England’s library sector is similarly diverse, comprising thousands
and demonstrate public value in what we fund. of public, academic, further education and school libraries, as
In the short-term, however, we believe that we must first reflect well as private and specialist libraries. Together, this country-wide
on the diversity of our extended remit to understand fully the infrastructure offers cultural content, information and knowledge
specific challenges and opportunities facing museums and libraries. to users locally, nationally and globally. Although public libraries
We welcome your responses to this document, which we hope have seen a decrease in the numbers of people borrowing books,
represents a shared starting point for our future work together. evidence shows that where there has been strategic investment – such
as in promoting children’s reading – visits rise. And patterns of use
Culture, knowledge and understanding: great museums and libraries for everyone Pages 10/11

are changing, with a significant increase in users accessing services shared across the arts, but some are very specific to museums and
digitally. Libraries have innovated in response, offering enhanced digital libraries as they navigate their way between traditional and emerging
provision and actively promoting libraries as local social spaces which practices. For example, the success of the negotiations between
can draw in and support new users. Unlike museums or the arts, libraries and publishers to provide public access to e-books is critical
differences in people’s socio-economic status do not affect their to the ongoing innovation of the library service; so too is the live
likelihood of using a library; neither does illness or having a disability. debate in museums about the way they preserve, record, develop and
provide access to their collections – particularly those not on display.
The financial pressures facing public, school and academic libraries
in the last two years has driven communities to acknowledge their
importance and value, often in dramatic ways. Connecting with people
Indeed, it is a challenging climate: changes in museums and libraries One measure of excellence in museums and libraries is in the degree
themselves and in the way their users are living their lives would be of their engagement with people, which is critically dependent on the
sufficient reason for continued development. Changes in society bring quality of the experiences they offer and the depth and authenticity
further pressing challenges, with the economic downturn continuing of those experiences. Many have a long track record in this respect
to catalyse a far-reaching reform of public services. Even for those not and have done much to engage diverse audiences. The role libraries
at the forefront of new and different approaches to delivery in local play as information and learning resources to help create empowered
authorities, it is clear that the pace of change requires ever greater and informed citizens and promote equality of opportunity is evident
resilience and adaptability from individual services and a more emphatic in the breadth of their audience. There is a big opportunity for libraries
and collective demonstration of public value. to lead the way in increasing engagement across the cultural sectors.
Whilst there is much to celebrate, there are no grounds for complacency.
Achieving excellence Museums and libraries share with the arts the need to continue to
broaden access, and many common challenges exist. Demographic
Excellence underpins Achieving great art for everyone. Our changes, a growing and ageing population, different consumption
conversations with the museums and libraries sectors have shown tastes and patterns accelerated by new technology, and the changing
that excellence is, of course, equally important to them. The needs of users, are all creating new demands and pressures.
excellence of their collections and the scholarship that goes with
them is the springboard from which other things come. The Arts Council is keen to see museums and libraries continuing
to innovate in their approaches to engaging with communities
Excellence is not easy to achieve. Economic pressures require an ever and making more effective use of volunteers; we are keen to see
more effective and determined use of investment to care for, update them working together to achieve this. We see real opportunities to
and redisplay collections and to continue to promote the research and achieve economies of scale and greater impact where museums and
scholarship that sits at the heart of many museums and libraries. libraries are innovating in digital media to promote their programmes,
Economic pressures equally require a commitment to innovation and or sharing their assets in collaboration with one another and with
service development, which in turn demands a better understanding of external partners. We also see opportunities for the sectors to share
public interests and needs. Communities increasingly want to be able their data and knowledge about users and non-users and to promote
to access knowledge, information and collections online as well as each others’ work more effectively to support people who want
on-site; they want to participate in the interpretation of collections; to learn. Finally, we see great advantage and opportunity in the arts
they want to discuss and debate the issues raised and share their being able to learn from the very important role that museums and
views with others. Many of the challenges these trends present are libraries play in promoting lifelong learning, particularly for older people.
Culture, knowledge and understanding: great museums and libraries for everyone Pages 12/13

Future resilience and sustainability concerns that museums and libraries share with the arts take on
added significance in organisations that have to plan for a long-term
The issues outlined in Achieving great art for everyone are as applicable sustainable approach to the care of collections. And the economic
to museums and libraries as they are to the arts; bluntly, economic threat to the smaller museums and libraries, particularly in rural areas,
downturn is a reality for everyone. But a key difference between them is will need our particular attention; although, here, the joining up
that a large part of the museums and libraries sector is more vulnerable of cultural and arts provision within the Arts Council may offer shared
to the changes occurring at a local level, with budgets reducing and learning and opportunities that could benefit everyone.
local authorities looking for new delivery models. Some local authorities
are considering outsourcing, merging or handing over services
to others; some are reducing investment and introducing shorter Changing lives and communities
hours or staff reductions; a few are closing museums and libraries.
The role museums and libraries play in relation to a broader range of
Independent university and volunteer-run museums and libraries
public outcomes (health, education, return to work) is likely to take on
are equally under pressure as government and private investment is
a new importance in a context of widespread public reform, as well
reduced and as people have less money to spend on leisure activities.
as strengthening the case we can make for the importance of cultural
In this context, the Arts Council’s commitment to quality is as valid services to civic life. It will be very valuable for the arts to draw on
for museums and libraries as it is for the arts, since this is what the partnering skills that museums and libraries have developed and
will shore up their long-term public value. So too is its ambition to their experience of innovating in the face of change. It is this context
strengthen a mixed economy for culture. Museums and libraries of change that requires a new emphasis on dynamic sector leaders
similarly need to strengthen their business models, diversify their and a willingness to embed responsiveness into governance, delivery
income streams and look at new ways of encouraging private giving and management structures. Whilst the Arts Council is committed to
and supporting enterprise. Likewise, they need to continue to explore promoting the specialist expertise that sits at the heart of museums
new ways of collaborating and improving efficiency in order to thrive and libraries, we recognise that we must also support these sectors
not just survive. For the Arts Council, the imperative to enhance our to embrace new skills and knowledge and greater capacity to adapt
role as an investor that understands how to support and position arts to change.
and culture becomes even greater. We will have responsibility for, but
A further challenge for museums and libraries will be to ensure that
relatively few funds to invest in, museums and libraries. Those funds
their workforces are more reflective of the communities they serve.
we have will have to work hard, as catalysts for change, alongside the
Whilst these sectors have concentrated to great effect in broadening
core funding provided by others, such as local authorities, with whom
audiences, the diversity of the workforce remains a challenge. Pockets
we will work even more closely.
of best practice have the potential to show the way; we will be seeking
There are other specific challenges for museums and libraries. The to identify and promote these examples as we tackle the shared
digital agenda is a challenge and opportunity across the arts, museums challenges of pushing for equality of access to the training, work and
and libraries, but the co-existence of digital and print-based forms career opportunities that our funding supports.
presents a special challenge for libraries, with users wanting to
access books and information in different ways. The environmental
Culture, knowledge and understanding: great museums and libraries for everyone Pages 14/15

The next creative generation

Achieving great art for everyone makes the case that young people
are leading the way in engaging with new technology, equipping them Long-term vision
to make and debate their own arts, break boundaries between art
forms and pioneer new sources of knowledge. This is familiar territory and goals
for museums and libraries, many of which have been active early
adopters of technology as a means of engaging and delivering services
to young people. There is still more work to do to help young audiences
use these resources to support their own learning and development.
For example, many museums use websites to provide access to a wide Arts Council England is the lead body charged with developing
range of information, but few have yet moved onto creating deeper the arts in England. As of 1 October 2011, it adds the following
and more innovative opportunities for digital engagement at a personal responsibilities to its remit:
and creative level. In this, museums and libraries face similar challenges
to the arts with regards to their young audiences. • libraries development and improvement
• Renaissance in the Regions funding programme for regional museums
In other respects, museums and libraries can clearly lead the way. • museums development and improvement, including a number
In recent years, libraries have successfully invested in work with of programmes intended to support and develop the standards
the youngest of audiences, knowing that being able to read at of museums across the UK (Accreditation, Designation and the
an early age critically enhances later success in life. Libraries and provision of national security advice)
museums play an essential role in supporting learning, both in and • a number of statutory cultural property functions that MLA carried
outside the classroom. Beyond supporting school-based learning, out on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport
they also provide safe and inspiring spaces for many young people (Acceptance in Lieu, Export Licensing and the administration of the
– places in which to meet friends or start to explore their own creative Government Indemnity Scheme)
and intellectual interests and gain a broader understanding of their • a number of MLA-initiated 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic
own world and that of other people. We know that they are well used Games programmes.
and highly valued, providing young people with access to stimulating
experiences, collections, books, information, music, films, activities and In reviewing these changes to our remit, we have considered the
the internet. They help with the transition to adult life, too – providing changes needed to our mission, vision and goals.
access to information and advice and support for lifelong learning.

Focusing our efforts behind long-term change

As the Arts Council publishes this document, it has yet to take on its
new responsibilities. Even when this happens, in October 2011, we
recognise how much we will still have to learn. And as with the arts, we
are clear that all of the Arts Council’s aspirations depend on collaboration
with funded organisations. But we also feel that it is important that we
can articulate a clear understanding of the unique role we will play, the
strategic vision behind our work and some clear goals and priorities.
Culture, knowledge and understanding: great museums and libraries for everyone Pages 16/17

Mission Arts Council England contributes to a resilient mixed economy

supporting arts organisations, museums and libraries, which also draw
Our mission is great art for everyone. support from a wide range of public and private funding sources.
Artists and organisations have responded with commitment and
Our expanding remit will see us championing, developing and investing in brilliance to the challenges of the decade, including environmental
museums and libraries, so that people’s lives can be shaped and enriched and technological change.
by artistic and cultural experiences and knowledge.
Above all, there is a sense that outstanding arts and cultural experiences
belong to and are available to everyone. They are unmissable; they offer
Vision unique experiences, insights and opportunities. Whatever your age
or circumstances, there are ways to participate, to find out more and to
Our vision is of England as a world-leading creative and cultural nation. get involved.
In 2021 the arts and cultural landscape is thriving, with museums
and libraries playing an active and central role. Our organisations are
internationally renowned for their excellence and leadership – diverse Long-term goals
new work and knowledge is being created, disseminated and enjoyed;
collections are being conserved, sustainably managed, displayed, We plan to focus our activity, working with and alongside many
interpreted, discussed and shared; cultural and artistic forms are evolving partners, to achieve a small number of long-term goals. We have
and there are more opportunities for cross-fertilising and sharing ideas adapted the substance of the goals to reflect the needs and priorities
and practice; artists, scholars, staff and the public can develop their of museums and libraries and to sit alongside our existing goals for
creative talent and knowledge; growing audiences are engaging with the arts. They will guide our work with these two new sectors.
and helping to shape the arts and culture in new and inspiring ways.
Arts organisations, museums and libraries are at the heart of society,
valued and used by local communities across the country. Libraries’ role
in providing access to and interpretation of high quality information as
well as literature and other art forms is recognised. Arts organisations,
museums and libraries are the bedrock of the creative, local and tourist
economies, contributing to the nation’s prosperity, its sense of identity
and its international reputation.
Large and small arts organisations, museums and libraries make up a
strong ecology that achieves more impact through greater collaboration
and innovation.
Culture, knowledge and understanding: great museums and libraries for everyone Pages 18/19

Goal 1
What will we do?

Excellence is
We will focus our investment on those excellent and forward
thinking museums and libraries best able to drive innovation,
care for their collections and share learning. We will support

thriving and
those looking to expand their horizons, whether through
ambitious programming, new ways of engaging people or
international partnerships that bring new collections and

celebrated
insights to communities.
We will work with partners to champion and support the
sustainable development of the collections and scholarship

in museums
that sit at the heart of our most excellent museums and
libraries. We will promote research and curatorship and the
role played by many different kinds of experts in bringing

and libraries
collections and knowledge to life.
We will support those museums and libraries at the forefront
of embracing diversity through co-production with users, giving
priority to those who are developing their offer in consultation
and partnership with the people using their services.
We will build on good practice in supporting and enhancing
excellent standards in museums and libraries. We will look
Why this goal? to learn from this best practice to explore benefits for the arts
as we review and develop our own standards programmes.
Feedback from our conversations suggests that for museums and
libraries, as much as for the arts, it is the quality, range and relevance Lastly, we will support purposeful partnerships across the arts,
of the offer, and the imaginative programmes that involve and engage museums and libraries to drive up the excellence of all. We
people with it that is the foundation of their ongoing success. Some will invest in those artists, organisations and collaborations
of our museums and libraries are recognised as being among the exploring the boundaries between different cultural forms
finest in the world and we want all our museums and libraries to take or between art and science or art and technology and the ways
their place with the finest. But as with the arts, excellence does not in which different intellectual starting points can illuminate
just happen; it requires a steadfast commitment, particularly at times different perspectives and create new audiences for the benefit
of economic hardship. Without this commitment, the achievements of all.
of museums and libraries would diminish and audiences would suffer.
Culture, knowledge and understanding: great museums and libraries for everyone Pages 20/21

Goal 2
Why this goal?

More people
Museums and libraries enrich people’s lives. They play a critical role
in creating empowered and informed citizens and they hold an
incalculable importance within places and communities, promoting

experience
understanding and cohesion and inspiring pride. Everyone should
have the right to benefit from the collections and knowledge that
public funding supports within museums and libraries.

and are inspired What will we do?

by museums
We will build on the role that museums and libraries play at the
heart of communities, inspiring civic pride, a sense of place and
making a valuable contribution to local economies by driving

and libraries
visits and tourism.
We will support museums’ and libraries’ work with communities,
learning from their work with the public as active partners
and creators. We will consider how the arts might benefit from
the culture of volunteering that sustains many museums’ and
libraries’ links with their local audiences.
We will place museums and libraries at the heart of our work
with the people and places of least cultural engagement,
looking to learn from the success of libraries in attracting
people that the arts find it hard to reach and encouraging
cross-cultural partnerships.
We will develop our touring and digital work to encompass
museums and libraries and encourage a greater sharing
of collections and assets, extend reach and generate richer
experiences for audiences.
We will embrace the lifelong learning work that museums and
libraries have led the way on, building this into our broader
work with the arts. We will champion the importance of creative
experiences to people’s wellbeing and development and the role
access to knowledge and information plays in supporting and
inspiring these.
Culture, knowledge and understanding: great museums and libraries for everyone Pages 22/23

Goal 3
Why this goal?

Museums and
Public investment in museums and libraries is reducing and there
are many changes happening in the communities they serve.
The future growth and success of museums and libraries depends

libraries are
on them adapting to these changes. It depends on the Arts Council
working in partnership with co-funders to make the case for proper
future investment.

sustainable, What will we do?

resilient and
We will strengthen our relationships with the co-funders
who are so critical to museums and libraries, especially local
government, the heritage sector, higher education and private

innovative
benefactors.
We will support, encourage and promote those museums and
libraries that are the most innovative and enterprising, building
strong business-like models from which others can learn.
We will champion a debate with others about the future of
museum and library services.
We will work with partners, including government, to
encourage and enable a higher level of private giving to the
arts and culture, advancing our work around philanthropy
to embrace our wider role. We will encourage those museums
and libraries built on the philanthropic donations of an
earlier age to continue these proud histories, emphasising the
important role of local people and communities as champions,
advocates and fundraisers.
At a time of funding reduction the duty to make maximum use
of physical and human resources – buildings and expertise – is
pressing. We will encourage networking, collaboration and
partnership across museums, libraries and the arts, to stimulate
local innovation, share learning and capture efficiencies.
Culture, knowledge and understanding: great museums and libraries for everyone Pages 24/25

Goal 4
Why this goal?

The leadership
Unless the museums and libraries workforce is diverse and highly
skilled, it will not reach its potential. To make an enduring contribution
to civic life, museums and libraries must be staffed by people who

and workforce
both reflect and can inspire the communities that they serve. Diversity
in the workforce is important to museums and libraries building
diverse collections and developing new perspectives. And the ongoing

are diverse and

development of an ever-wider range of skills is essential to enabling
these sectors to adapt to change.

highly skilled What will we do?

We will act as a steadfast champion of diversity across the arts,

museums and libraries, focusing in particular on creating equal
opportunities to enter these workforces.
We will encourage skills development, collaborative working
and knowledge sharing, seeking to ensure that mainstream
funding responds to the training needs of museums and
libraries. In this, we will encourage museums and libraries to
embrace a wide range of skills while recognising and refreshing
the expertise that has traditionally sustained them.
We will renew our commitment to leadership development,
exploring what constitutes excellent, honest, courageous and
adaptive leadership across our wider remit.
We will learn from museums’ and libraries’ work with
communities, particularly those museums and libraries that are
embedding these skills in new, more responsive and diverse
governance and delivery models.
We will build cultural advocacy skills across the arts, museums
and libraries, so that the people working in them can become
more confident collectively in winning support for the
contribution that the arts and culture sectors can make to society.
Culture, knowledge and understanding: great museums and libraries for everyone Pages 26/27

Goal 5
Why this goal?

Every child
Museums and libraries contribute to the development and well-being
of children and young people. They provide learning resources and
experiences that can fuel children’s curiosity and critical capacity, as

and young
well as helping them to challenge and understand their place in the
world. Access to the knowledge, experiences and treasures within
our museums and libraries is every child’s birthright. This is essential

person has
to inspiring future audiences and the next creative generation.

What will we do?

opportunity We will initiate a debate about what constitutes excellent arts

and cultural provision for children and young people by building

to experience
a shared quality framework that draws on models like Inspiring
Learning for All.
We will argue for a coherent and targeted approach to high

the richness quality arts and cultural provision for young people, working
with national and local government, funded arts and cultural
organisations, museums, libraries and other partners, schools

of museums
and higher and further education institutions.
We will ask the newly established group of Bridge organisations

and libraries
within our national portfolio of funded organisations to pioneer
new relationships between education, the arts, museums
and libraries.
We will use Renaissance and our investment in partners to
build on the world-leading practice in museums and libraries,
looking to share learning across the arts about those brilliant
programmes that have been inspired by, and produced for,
with and by children and young people.
We will adapt our children and young people’s programmes
Artsmark and Arts Award to promote this best practice.
Culture, knowledge and understanding: great museums and libraries for everyone Pages 28/29

Our role

Our role in the A partnership approach is fundamental to the successful delivery of

our strategy: serious engagement with long-term ambition requires

museums and shared purpose and joint effort. This is particularly the case for the
Arts Council in the museum and library sectors as we will have more
libraries sectors limited funds to invest. We have therefore thought very carefully
about how we can work most effectively across our three roles of
2011–15 championing, developing and investing to achieve the most impact.
With libraries, for example, our immediate focus will be on public
libraries but the wider library sector will feature in our thinking as
we develop an approach to supporting the whole library sector.

The purpose of the Arts Council’s strategic framework is to set Championing museums and libraries
out what we want to achieve over the long-term. However,
We will focus our museums advocacy work on the regional
we will continue to set out the operational detail of what we
museums that benefit from the Renaissance funding programme,
do according to the funding cycle set by central government.
working with partners such as the Association of Independent
The next Arts Council Plan will be published in autumn 2011
Museums, the Museums Association and the National Museums’
and will cover the period 2011–15.
Directors Conference to build a compelling excellence agenda
When we published Achieving great art for everyone, which was for regional museums to which all museums can contribute. We
built on extensive consultation, we were sure both of our long-term will look to build partnerships, good practice and evidence to help us
strategy and our short-term priorities. This companion document make the case for the continuation of the Renaissance programme
is different in that we want discussion to continue to stimulate into the period 2015–18.
our long-term thinking but at the same time we want to provide
Similarly, with libraries, we will focus our advocacy work on public
certainty as to our short-term priorities. These next two sections
libraries. We will work with partners such as the Local Government
therefore describe our policy in some detail for the period 2011–15,
Group, the Society of Chief Librarians and the Chartered Institute
throughout which we will continue to integrate museums and libraries
of Library and Information Professionals to develop clear messages
more fully into our work in time to make the case for the next
about the public value libraries can provide and a shared vision for
spending period (2015–18).
the library service in 10 years’ time. We will build our knowledge
and skills to argue for libraries’ contribution to outcomes across
government into the period 2015–18 as part of our wider voice
for culture.
Culture, knowledge and understanding: great museums and libraries for everyone Pages 30/31

Developing museums and libraries

Our development work tends to be focused on the most pressing

issues we identify within the goals. Our first task in relation to Our plans 2011–15
museums and libraries will therefore be to continue to gather
intelligence and capitalise on the incoming expertise of museums and
libraries staff to improve our picture of current and future challenges
and opportunities. We will also act in response to feedback that we
need to move quickly with regard to the following issues.
The year 2011/12 is a transitional year, with most staff and
For regional museums, we will focus on developing resilience and programmes being transferred from MLA to the Arts Council in October
empowering leadership. We will work hard to strengthen networks 2011. We have been working closely with the MLA since the beginning
within the sector, both by positioning the various funding streams of 2011 to ensure the smooth transition of those programmes that
and programmes we will be running within a coherent and connected will transfer without any change in scope (the standards programmes,
framework, and by looking to build relationships, for example between the cultural property functions and the plans MLA had put in place
national and regional museums. We will also lay the foundations for in celebration of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games).
a strong infrastructure for learning and knowledge transfer. At the same time, we have been focusing on the implementation
Our development work for libraries will focus on promoting excellence, of new approaches to Renaissance and the library development and
strengthening the reading, information and learning role of libraries; improvement agenda – and we will start to implement these plans from
developing new ways for people to access the cultural knowledge the date of publishing this document.
and experiences that libraries offer and identifying innovative and
effective ways of responding to the challenges which the sector will
Our plans for Renaissance and museum development
face in the years ahead. Again, we will work in partnership to achieve
this, as well as using our wider remit to encourage better long-term Renaissance in the Regions was launched in 2002 to bring about
local partnerships between libraries, museums and the arts. tangible change in the ambition and quality of regional museums
across the country. An independent review of the programme was
published in July 2009, following which the MLA put forward a
Investing in museums and libraries vision for the next stage. The Arts Council’s brief was to carry these
As with the arts, we will use the five goals as a framework for our plans forward in the most appropriate way, with a budget of £43m
funding decisions and to establish clear relationships with those we per annum for 2012–15. The Arts Council will look to build on the
fund. For museums, we will use Renaissance to drive development achievements of the programme so far, using the five goals set out
and deliver excellence in England’s regional museums, focusing in in this document, to drive development and encourage excellence in
particular on strengthening the foundations of excellence, resilience regional museums.
and leadership in 2012–15. For libraries, we will focus our resources
on research and supporting innovation and leadership; the Future
Libraries programme will be a key tool in delivering improvements.
Culture, knowledge and understanding: great museums and libraries for everyone Pages 32/33

For 2012–15, the four strands of Renaissance will be: Our plans for libraries
• a programme of major grants Our first action will be to develop the Future Libraries programme.
• a strategic support fund Building on the partnership approach that has characterised the
• a body of national programmes programme so far, the Arts Council will run a two-stage approach, over
• a final strand that underpins the Arts Council’s 18 months, from autumn 2011 to the end of March 2013, with the
commitment to museum development. first stage delivered in partnership with the Local Government Group
The national programmes are among those responsibilities transferring (LGG). This will focus on the immediate challenges faced by libraries in
on 1 October 2011, and will continue as before. They support the the current climate, and the LGG will identify a number of authorities
museum infrastructure and include the Accreditation and Designation for the Arts Council to support in implementing the ideas and best
programmes and the provision of national security advice. In addition, practice that came out of the original programme. The learning will be
Arts Council England will maintain the commitment to the V&A developed into expert guidance, which can be played into the second
Purchase Grant Fund and PRISM. Many of these programmes are stage, which will focus on long-term goals, strengthening the sector
UK-wide, offering benefit to the countries outside England, and some and encouraging partnerships and innovation at a local level.
support other sectors, such as archives.
We will take a new approach to the other three strands, starting with Our plans to integrate museums, libraries and the arts
the launch of a major grant programme. This will begin with an open
application process, similar to the Arts Council’s National Portfolio At the same time as rolling out these dedicated museum and
programme. It will look for a group of regional museums with the library funding programmes and services, we will look to all of our
appetite and capacity to play a wider leadership role in developing programmes and investments to consider where an integrated
excellence across the museum sector. The application process will open approach would work best for all. Focusing in particular on our
in September 2011 and conclude early in 2012. participation and children and young people work, we will pilot
programmes that look to encourage collaboration between
The Arts Council will develop a complementary funding stream similar museums, libraries and arts organisations, exploring the
to the MLA’s plans for a challenge fund. This will take effect later in opportunities that can be grasped through an integrated approach.
2012 and will target those development gaps within the Arts Council’s We hope that children and young people could particularly benefit
five goals that are not addressed by the recipients of major grants. from this, but also that a more joined-up sector could considerably
enhance the informal learning offer for people throughout their lives.
Finally, a strong commitment to museum development will be
maintained, with £3m investment; Arts Council England will see
through the plans the MLA had been developing to strengthen the
infrastructure in this important area.
Culture, knowledge and understanding: great museums and libraries for everyone Pages 34/35

Evaluating success Have your say

Since the publication of Achieving great art for everyone, we have We will run an informal consultation, from September 2011
worked hard to develop a performance management framework that to the end of March 2012, as part of the continual process
we will use to help us evaluate whether we are succeeding in what of getting to know our new stakeholders. During this period,
we set out to do. The funding agreements we have negotiated with we will:
our National Portfolio organisations will enable us to gather consistent
information and a coherent body of evidence, which will in turn drive • e ngage with the museums and libraries sectors through the
our case for investment at the next spending review. Our plan is to programmes we are implementing, specifically Renaissance and
integrate museums and libraries into this work. the Future Libraries programme
• work with key partners like the Association of Independent
We will also use the performance management framework to renew Museums, the Museums Association, the National Museums’
our commitment to research over the next 10 years. The evidence Directors Conference, the University Museums Group, the Local
review published alongside this document is our first analysis Government Group, the Society of Chief Librarians and the
of the evidence base for museums and libraries, its strengths and Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals to
shortcomings, and how we need to strengthen the way in which consult with the wider constituencies they represent
evidence is collected shared and used by museums and libraries. It also • continue to take an active role in meetings and conferences
identifies some possible areas for future research. As with the tackling issues relevant to museums and libraries
Long-term vision and goals section of this document, we welcome • encourage an active engagement with stakeholders at a local
your views on our analysis so far. level, including by running a further programme of regional
conversations in spring 2012.
This programme will see us actively soliciting debate about the
contents of this document. In addition, we welcome individual
responses. What else should we be considering as we plan for
the next 10 years? What challenges and opportunities have we
underplayed or not yet identified? What are your issues and views?
You can get in touch by emailing:
[email protected]
We look forward to hearing from you.
Culture, knowledge and understanding: great museums and libraries for everyone

Arts Council England

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London SW1P 3NQ
www.artscouncil.org.uk
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 0845 300 6200
Textphone: 020 7973 6564
Charity registration no 1036733
You can get this publication in Braille,
in large print, on audio CD and in electronic
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of these formats.
ISBN: 978-0-7287-1504-2
© Arts Council England, September 2011
We are committed to being open and
accessible. We welcome all comments on
our work. You can get in touch by emailing:
[email protected]

Acknowledgement: this publication is the

result of the generous advice and thoughtful
and expert contributions of many people
working in museums and libraries.
Written, edited and produced by Arts Council
England, with thanks to MLA colleagues.

Design: Blast
www.blast.co.uk