A Culture Strategy for Scotland

MUSEUMS GALLERIES SCOTLAND SUBMISSION TO
CONSULTATION ON A CULTURE STRATEGY FOR SCOTLAND


Introduction

Museums Galleries Scotland (MGS) is the National Development Body for the museums sector in Scotland. Our role is to work collaboratively to invest in and develop a sustainable museum and galleries sector for Scotland, in line with the aims of ‘Going Further: The National Strategy for Scotland’s Museums and Galleries’ . We work with a sector of over 400 museums and galleries, supporting and enabling them to meet their objectives in a number of ways, including through strategic investment, advice, advocacy and skills development opportunities.

We are pleased to present our submission to the Scottish Government’s consultation on the draft Culture Strategy for Scotland. This has been developed in partnership with the museums sector through the representatives of MGS’s Stakeholder Group. We would be delighted to answer any further questions which may arise from our submission or to facilitate discussion with the Scottish museums sector on specific aspects of the draft strategy should further detail be necessary. Given the breadth of our submission, we present for convenience a summary section, which highlights the key points contained within our response and a full range of comments relating to each question in the consultation document.


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Our ethos at MGS is founded on the principle of working positively and collaboratively. It is from this perspective that we have approached our response to the consultation on the draft culture strategy, whilst reserving the right to clearly and decisively reflect the perspectives of the Scottish museums sector in our submission. As such, it is important to note that we make clear the distinction between our support for the vision as set out and how this should be achieved. Greater emphasis should be placed on existing strategies (including ‘Going Further’, and those already mentioned in the draft), with a separate action plan that will clearly set out how the aims and the vision are to be delivered in practice. In this way, over time, sector strategies can be developed which will directly map to the objectives of the new action plan and associated culture strategy.

In its present form, the consultation document does set out a bold vision for culture in Scotland. Nevertheless, there are a large number of both general and particular caveats and qualifications to MGS’s support for the strategy and its vision which require to be addressed if the emerging strategy is to be fit for purpose. These are detailed throughout our submission and it is vital that these are incorporated into the final strategy if it is to genuinely reflect the interests, needs and priorities of the broader cultural landscape in Scotland and specifically those of the museums sector.

Principal comments

1. The need for a clearer expression of the definition of culture (rather than references to the sources from which the draft takes its definition). In particular:
• reflect the role of Scotland’s museums sector and the breadth of its contribution to wider public policy outcomes
• include greater reference to cultural heritage and museums and clarify its interpretation of the cultural landscape; ‘cultural heritage’ is mentioned once, while ‘arts’ and ‘creative industries’ are mentioned 18 and 14 times, respectively.
2. A clearer commitment to cross-departmental support for culture within government and the removal of barriers to engagement which exist both for the sector and even within government itself. In particular:
• Culture should be integrated within policy around health and wellbeing, learning and attainment, planning, placemaking and community regeneration.
• Clarity on the role and influence of the cultural leadership post.
• The relationship and connection between the culture strategy and other strategies (Government and stakeholders) to be clearly set out.
• The creation of a Cultural Change Fund
3. Clarity on how the strategy will be implemented, monitored, evaluated and resourced within the context of the strategy's ambitions and ongoing austerity. In particular:
• Specific commitments from the Scottish Government on how the strategy will be delivered, resourced and evaluated.
• Recognition of the need for ongoing investment in the Scottish museums sector.
• Culture should be better funded indirectly through other streams.
4. How we might make the cultural sector more sustainable (including financial diversification and 'greening'). In particular:
• Recognition of the museums sector’s operational costs in caring for both collections and the fabric of the buildings in which collections are housed.
• Support to assist the museums sector to reduce its impact on the environment.
• Consideration of entrepreneurial approaches to museum sustainability, including social enterprise, should be explored, encouraged and facilitated by the Scottish Government.
5. Improved community engagement, especially in remote and rural areas; cultural heritage can be a hub for regeneration and Scotland's museums sector leads the way by having a transformative role in place-making and identity. In particular:
• Express the role of museums as civic and cultural hubs which are central to shared identity and memory, anchored in their communities and which provide a trusted space to explore one’s sense of identity, self and culture.
• Set out the ways in which infrastructure investment has the capacity to improve connectivity between, and investment in, cultural communities.
• A specific action plan to require capital infrastructure projects to engage with local communities and cultural heritage.
• A greater degree of mindfulness around how cultural life in rural (and remote and rural) communities is celebrated, curated and safeguarded.
• Do more to address the disparity of cultural engagement and participation between wealthier and more deprived communities.
6. The museums sector has led the way in innovative uses of new technologies and developing digital skills. More needs to be done to mainstream practice across the museums sector and creative industries alike, while also supporting the tangible experience offered by traditional practice and skills. In particular:
• A more balanced view of the scope of new and emerging digital skills and the impact that technology is having on skills in areas such as the museums sector.
• Greater consideration to the role of traditions.
• MGS is the only Accredited Non-Government Organisation in Scotland in relation to the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage – a status we are committed to maintaining.
7. Encouraging a more expansive approach to equalities and ensuring the strategy is better aligned with the Government's thinking and practice with respect to tackling inequality in Scotland. In particular:
• Taking an inclusive and expanded approach to culture with respect to engagement around each of the protected characteristics.
8. A broader understanding of, and commitment to, skills development and volunteers. In particular:
• A clearer commitment to resourcing skills development across cultural heritage and reflecting the variety of career opportunities available in the museums and cultural sectors.
• Recognise that freelance work represents just one form of employment within the cultural sector.
• Greater recognition of the role and contribution of volunteers and how to capitalise on their valued participation in our sector.

MGS general comments

The consultation document does not sufficiently reflect the role of Scotland’s museums sector and the breadth of its contribution to wider public policy outcomes, such as health and education. With these omissions, there is a clear risk that our sector could be left behind at the point when the strategy’s aims and objectives come to be implemented in practice. While the purpose of the strategy is to be both broadly encompassing and general, its current iteration includes reference to specific areas of the cultural landscape with a focus and implicit emphasis that is noticeably absent in others.

As noted above, in the introductory section, the draft defines three areas of culture – ‘arts’, ‘creative industries’ and ‘cultural heritage’. It is noticeable that cultural heritage is referenced only one other time in the document, in Annex B, with respect to the work of the British Council. ‘Arts’ by contrast, is mentioned on 18 occasions in the document and ‘Creative Industries’ a total of 14 times. MGS feels this approach is not one which works with the otherwise expansive approach of the draft strategy and this should be addressed. Where there is specificity, it must be truly applicable across all areas of the cultural landscape or each cultural sector should have its own needs and priorities reflected.


Previous cultural strategies

It is worthwhile noting the positive impact which previous cultural strategies have had and the potential for this latest iteration to do the same. For this reason, it is imperative that the concerns noted in our response are incorporated into a final draft. It was the previous culture strategy which led to the establishment of the Scottish Museums Think Tank which, in turn, called for the creation of MGS and the national strategy for the museums sector. We are aware from our networks and contacts with European colleagues that Scotland is regarded as leading the way in museums policy internationally and that ours is a model which should be adopted across the continent. This is just one example of the tangible impact which a well-developed and purposeful cultural strategy could have should the existing gaps in the draft be remedied.


Cultural heritage sector consensus

In light of shared concerns raised by the draft strategy, in partnership with Historic Environment Scotland, National Trust for Scotland, Heritage Lottery Fund and Built Environment Forum Scotland, MGS participated in a group discussion on our submissions to the Scottish Government. Our organisations have a shared desire to support the development of a strategy that succeeds in realising the vision of cultural life in Scotland and are committed to working positively with the Government to achieve that goal.

The position on our shared concerns do not limit each organisation’s ability to make a separate case, and each organisation will make separate submissions to the consultation in addressing specific areas for change relevant to our own priorities. The consistent language which the Scottish Government will notice throughout each of our submissions, however, reflects a strong degree of consensus and we anticipate the credibility of this network will carry sufficient weight to require appropriate consideration of the points raised.


Definition of culture

MGS considers that the strategy would benefit from a definition of culture. At the very least, we feel there is a need for a clearer expression of what is contained within the definitions of culture as referenced in the draft and from which it takes its own meaning. This need not simply be a list of what activities are considered as associated with ‘culture’ or being ‘cultural’ as this is something which will always change, driven by the people of Scotland and beyond. Rather, this should be an acknowledgment that culture is of, by and for all people in Scotland, from every community, place, background and identity. This inclusive and expansive approach would require and ensure equal representation be given within the strategy to the various cultural areas (cultural heritage, arts and creative industries).

As it is, the current draft of the strategy uses reference to ‘creative’ and ‘artistic’ in a way that appears to imply a catch-all phrase for the wider cultural landscape. While it may not be realistic to continuously list all aspects of cultural life and practice in each area of the document, we feel there is an absolute requirement that it be reviewed to include reference to cultural heritage in general and museums in particular where the activity or policy proposed has direct relevance for our sector. We have provided, below, details of where this content needs to be updated within the strategy to ensure the focus is appropriately shared with cultural heritage and the museums sector.


Detailed proposed amendments

There are a range of comments with respect to specific content within the draft strategy which need to be acknowledged in addition to the high-level and broader themes, as outlined above and throughout. This needs to be addressed to ensure that, where the strategy goes into particular detail, it accurately reflects how the Scottish Government’s vision will apply in practice across the broader cultural landscape.

Specific comments

Page 7, A Vision for Culture in Scotland:
• Third boxed text, “The imaginative role of artists…”
o Include “curators” within the list of roles and professions
• Fourth boxed text, “People who create…”
o Change order of “artistic” and “cultural”; this sets the tone for the imbalance within the document of the implied hierarchy of roles, with creativity and creative roles foremost and the apparent (albeit unintentional) exclusion of other specific sectors, namely cultural heritage and the museums sector.
• Fifth boxed text, “Cultural excellent and pathways…”
o Delete “creative careers” and insert “cultural careers”.
• Third paragraph (plain text), “Culture and creativity are valued…”
Delete “history” and insert “museum collections”.

General comments

As above, MGS agrees with the ambition and also the specific aim of placing culture as a central consideration within the broader context of social, economic and political life. However, we feel the draft strategy risks missing an opportunity to express where and how culture – and specifically cultural heritage and the Scottish museums sector – can be considered inclusively around the development of policy or initiatives that have the capacity to support investment and participation.

The strategy should consider how cultural life in all its forms can be successfully integrated within these policies, for example health and wellbeing, learning and attainment, planning, placemaking and community regeneration. This, will ensure that the transformative impact that culture can have on people’s lives is sustained and maximised. Our sector is one which requires ongoing investment to respond to core operational costs – both with respect to the care of collections and the fabric of the buildings in which those collections are housed. These are often overlooked aspects of the management of our museums and it is vital that investment continues in order that Scotland’s invaluable cultural heritage is preserved for future generations.

The Scottish museums sector is committed to doing what it can to influencing behaviour change with respect to climate change. This also relates to the need for investment in the fabric of our buildings in order to reduce the impact on the environment. This requires investment and MGS has supported projects within the sector to enable museums to minimise their carbon footprint and facilitating support available to the sector through agencies in order to tap into resources that will enable a more sustainable approach. MGS would welcome the opportunity to engage with external stakeholders who can respond to the specific needs of our sector (mindful of the challenge of operating in buildings which are often hard to treat).

CASE STUDY – BIGGAR MUSEUM

MGS supported Biggar Museum Trust with a grant of £28,663 to improve sustainability. As a result, the museum will be able to install voltaic solar panels on its roof, generating renewable electricity for the building. They will also fit out two outbuildings as climate-controlled collections storage. The project will save the museum money, reduce their carbon footprint, and protect their collections for the future.


Social enterprise

While all museums are required to be as enterprising as possible to exploit a diverse range of income streams, there are a significant number of museums which currently operate as ‘identified’ social enterprises. This included many which are Accredited and hold collections recognised as being of national significance to Scotland. While this clearly shows that the social enterprise model is eminently compatible with the role of museums, there undoubtedly remains a disconnect in expanding participation across the sector as a whole. This may reflect a number of factors, including a lack of understanding of what constitutes a social enterprise and the benefit to operating in such a model.

MGS is a member of Senscot’s Cultural Roundtable, which was set up to address and overcome barriers faced by cultural and creative social enterprises, thereby unlocking the potential added value they could bring to their operation. We are currently in discussion with Senscot to develop content to highlight resources, information and support available to the museums sector and which we hope will encourage more to expand their enterprising activity and earning potential. We will continue to work with Senscot and others in the sector to maximise awareness and understanding of the potential which the social enterprise model can bring to practitioners in the museums sector.

The Scottish Government’s Social Enterprise Strategy is another which should be better aligned within the culture strategy as it is clear that the era of austerity – especially with the acknowledged additional risks and uncertainty of Brexit – is unlikely to end in the foreseeable future. The financial threat to the stability of many museums and other cultural heritage organisations means that new ways and models or structures of working must be identified, with alternative income streams utilising a variety of sources. The entrepreneurial approach that is at the heart of the social enterprise model is one such opportunity and needs to be explored – and actively encouraged and facilitated by the Scottish Government – with some urgency within our sector. Therefore, we recommend a clearer expression within the culture strategy of how entrepreneurial models of practice can be mainstreamed while holding true to the founding principles of individual organisations.


Specific comments

Page 9, Context:
• First paragraph (plain text), “A large amount of cultural activity…”
o The understanding of what constitutes cultural activity, its breadth and even informality, is another reason why an earlier definition of culture would be beneficial.
• Fourth paragraph (plain text), third sentence: “A social enterprise census…”
o Include “museums” and “heritage” within the list of sectors.


Intangible Cultural Heritage

MGS is the only Accredited Non-Government Organisation in Scotland in relation to the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH). We have developed and look after the ICH in Scotland website to inventory living culture across the country. This approach has been identified as a model of good practice internationally and has informed the approach taken in other countries, including several Scandinavian nations.

The role of traditions with respect to culture needs greater consideration than currently offered – at present, much of this appears to be captured with reference to ‘ICH’ as a general phrase, without expressing the complexity of practice with respect to ICH. The strategy would do well to reflect in more detail perspectives on traditions, focussing on how they can be safeguarded and celebrated as an integral and valued part of Scotland’s thriving and vibrant living culture.

It is about how our communities wish to see their own cultural heritage defined, safeguarded, interpreted and represented in future. This is an important distinction as ‘heritage’ has a far broader interpretation than ICH and, if we are to meaningfully celebrate both strands of work, the strategy will need to clarify how this will be delivered across a range of potential partners. MGS is committed to maintaining our status as an NGO accredited by UNESCO and is actively engaging with stakeholders in the field to explore how we will, collaboratively, celebrate ICH in Scotland.

Rurality, Regeneration, Infrastructure and Communities

MGS’s perspective is that more could be done to engage with communities and cultural practitioners (such as curators and other museum professionals) to explore where infrastructure investment has the capacity to improve connectivity between communities This is especially the case for people for whom access is a barrier and, in particular, those who may be in more rural or geographically remote locations. The focus on community-driven activity and engagement has merit, however, it is unrealistic to expect this to occur at scale without sufficient structure, support and resourcing, particularly if the vision is for this to be married with a (very welcome) equalities agenda as broad as outlined.

MGS would like to see a specific action plan to require capital infrastructure projects to meaningfully engage with local communities with a view to embedding cultural heritage (whether local, regional or national) into planning. This is especially the case for the City Deals and other major investments such as housebuilding, which present an ideal opportunity to consider how wider impacts of works can support access to and participation of that heritage.

Presently, insufficient consideration is given to the contribution of place-making to reflecting and celebrating the cultural identity of the community for whom it is intended. By ensuring that developers have these linkages in mind at the earliest phase, connectivity for these communities will be built-in and accessible rather than accidental, thus improving the quality of people’s experience within their homes and neighbourhoods.

Cultural heritage makes a meaningful contribution to local and rural economies. Museums can often act as a powerful catalyst in drawing people to an area as a destination of choice or as a founding hub and cornerstone around which the regeneration of a community can be initiated. High quality visitor destinations support jobs and attract people into areas from which they can explore the local region and the capacity of the museums sector to achieve that is something which needs to be expressly referenced as an instructive force for local authorities and other landowners seeking to invest and make better use of their property.




Specific comments

Page 10, 3.1 Cultural Context:
• Third paragraph (plain text), “Scotland’s natural and build landscape…”
o Include reference to “local culture” and “museum collections”.


3.2 Funding culture

While the creation of a new culture strategy is welcome, and recognising the challenging economic climate, it is disappointing that there has been no specific commitment made by the Scottish Government with respect to the delivery of the national culture strategy. We would also hope that the lack of direct funding would reflect an awareness that culture should also be better funded indirectly through other streams, namely education, health and social care and other departments which we know either reap the benefits of cultural engagement and participation or which depend upon cultural practitioners in some form or another to engage the public and raise awareness of wider priorities.

While streamlining the focus on individual outcomes should be the laudable ambition of shared agendas across government departments and services, it is important to acknowledge existing barriers and learn from past experience. A good example was the Scottish Government’s Older People's Change Fund, which operated from 2011-15, made available £300 million to support NHS Boards and local authority partners explore innovative models that would shift the balance of care away from primary and acute services and towards anticipatory care and prevention. The museums sector has undertaken an array of work which has had the outcome of either helping people stay active in their communities, or improving health and wellbeing of the individuals taking part (for example, dementia-friendly work – see Scottish Football Museum case study, below). These outcomes connect well with the Scottish Government’s ambition of enabling older people to continue living in their own homes and communities for as long as possible.

Projects like those of the Scottish Football Museum and others illustrated through our case studies should be mainstreamed practice across the country. This, however, would require resourcing that is not currently available from within existing budgets or a collaborative approach to engagement that is not typically seen with existing health and social partnerships. That is why MGS proposes the creation of a cultural Change Fund that would support improved engagement and participation with cultural practitioners by education, health and social care, housing and other statutory services. This seed funding would encourage commissioners to look beyond their primary functions and traditional means of service delivery and explore where potential partnerships, for example with the Scottish museums sector, could open up new routes to care or provision that would result in improved outcomes for service users.


Annex B

Annex B contains a number of factual errors that confuse the role of MGS and other organisations. As a specific breakdown of those institutions which provide funding for culture in Scotland, there is a risk that this Annex may suggest there is a greater level of resource available to the museums sector than is, in fact the case. The third bullet point refers to the national collections (NGS and NMS), which do undoubtedly “preserve, interpret and present [some of] Scotland’s treasured artefacts”. However, these are not funding organisations, which is the named purpose of this Annex. NMS provides a range of training resources for the museums sector, although it is not clear that ‘in-kind’ investment, which this would represent, is the same as direct financial investment which is implied in the title the annex.

Finally, the sixth bullet point lists MGS alongside the industrial museums which are not, again, specific funding organisations. It should also be acknowledged that the Scottish Funding Council (seventh bullet point) provide essential funding to University Museums in Scotland, the umbrella body for the university museums in Scotland. While there are a range of independent grant giving bodies and trusts which facilitate funding to the museums sector in Scotland, it is only MGS that exists solely for the purpose of supporting and facilitating grants to the Scottish museums sector.


3.3 Contribution of culture

Specific comments

Page 12, 3.3 Contribution of Culture:
• Shaded box, “Economic Contribution of Culture…”
o Include reference to economic impact of museums, which are estimated to contribute almost £1 billion to the Scottish economy.
• Third paragraph (plain text), “Internationally, Scotland is…”
o Include “museums” and “ICH” in final sentence. We also feel that reference should be made to rural venues, with museums in particular making a valuable contribution towards Scotland’s reputation and offering across the length and breadth of the country.

Page 13, Some facts about culture:
• First bullet point, “Scotland’s national collections…”
o Reference should be included here to the Recognised Collections of national significance. An additional bullet point on the support available to the museums sector from MGS would also clarify the extent of support available through Scottish Government-derived funding.
• Eighth bullet point, “Scotland’s 460 museums and galleries care for over 12 million objects”
o MGS has recently undertaken a refreshed survey of the scale of the Scottish museums sector, which has identified around 400 museums across the country. Specific reference should also be made to the Recognised Collections of national significance and the support available to the museums sector from MGS.
o The figure of 12 million objects is from a dated source by the former Scottish Museums Council (the precursor of MGS) and should be discarded. No recent data on the total figure of Scottish collections is available, however, we understand it would be significantly in excess of the stated 12 million objects.


4.2 Realising the vision and the role of government

As stated above, MGS and the Scottish museums sector would like to see a clearer commitment to cross-departmental support for culture within government and the removal of barriers to engagement, which exist both for the sector and even within government itself. While it is undoubtedly true that culture “exists with or without government-led strategies or interventions” (page 16), it would far too simplistic to suggest that culture can exist and thrive without the support of government. That is why we welcome the commitment to fostering better cross-government working and help to ensure culture is included in policy development. The key point, however, is in the realisation of that goal. The Scottish museums sector has long held that ambition of working dynamically and innovatively across government and the barrier to this engagement has not rested with a lack of desire on the part of practitioners.

Governments have always taken a central role in the funding and commissioning of culture. In setting the context and environment in which practitioners and participants can create or experience culture, governments have an invaluable and positive role to play in supporting increased engagement with culture and also how culture can be utilised to support other outcomes.

This is the particular aspect of the Scottish Government’s relationship with the Scottish cultural landscape which could be more positively asserted in the strategy. Culture can contribute to health and wellbeing outcomes and could do more if, for example, the Scottish Government, Education Scotland and the NHS compel and uphold the requirement for partnership between health professionals and cultural practitioners (see bullet points on page. Culture positively enables social and community cohesion and this could be accelerated were the Scottish Government to actively empower collaboration between cultural hubs such as museums, local authorities and social housing providers.


The draft strategy reflects how culture can be used as a means of bringing about positive change in other areas of society, however, in the specifics of how this might be achieved, the focus reverts again to the creative industries in isolation. We would like to see greater commitment given to how the strategy will seek to compel change and support collaboration across Government departments. The Scottish Government’s Third Sector Unit is an important bridge to civil servants, and this could be expanded upon to enable cultural practitioners (many of whom are not entrepreneurs or commercially focussed and so may be unintentionally excluded given the wording of the strategy) are to be included as collaborative partners and contributors to that work.

Many museums have undertaken projects and initiatives to engage with their audiences which have had a peripheral and intentional purpose of impacting on wider outcomes, for example physical or mental health, social identity and environmental sustainability. While these impacts are referred to within the strategy, what is required now is a step-change in how these programmes are integrated within planning at a more strategic level.

This is where the relationship between the culture strategy and the other strategies detailed therein (such as MGS’s) is so critical and where the connections require to be set out clearly in terms of how this will be done and who will be responsible for driving forward the activity. The proposed cultural leadership post, although welcome, would – in the context of our comments above with respect to the Third Sector Unit – appear to push high levels of need and demand onto a very finite resource. It is questionable, therefore, what meaningful impact such a role will have in isolation and we would welcome greater discussion with the Government on this point. The relationship between the leadership post and the proposed Measuring Change Group, as well as the transparency and accountability of reporting, monitoring and scrutiny of the outcomes from this strategy are key. Change, for the better, must be keenly felt by practitioner and participant if there is to be trust that this dynamic is working for the people of Scotland.




Specific comments

Page 16, 4.2 Realising the vision and the role of government
• Second bullet point, “Demonstrate increased commitment…”
o End at “culture”.
Page 23, 4.3 Transforming through culture
• Second shaded box, “Culture must be free…”
o Include “representative”.

(Digital) Technology

The cultural heritage sector is not immune to expectations of an increasingly technologically savvy audience, as well as requirements for professionals to manage, chronicle and communicate their work digitally. For the cultural heritage sector, this transformation has to be considered in the context of ways of working and subjects which are absolutely tangible – objects and places.

Museums are already doing excellent work digitising their collections and engaging with audiences and communities by tapping into the potential of digital platforms and media. Many roles within the sector are increasingly dependent upon a requirement to understand this potential and to remain abreast of a rapidly changing suite of resources, as well as understanding how those resources are being utilised, particularly by younger audiences.

The previous version of the strategy which was shared with MGS included more specific and direct actions on digital outcomes than have been included in the latest, public, draft. These reflected the extent, not only of the activity required in direct response to the need for digital skills and infrastructure but also the way in which integration of digital technology and practices can positively support wider outcomes and activities, from community engagement and capacity building. As reflected above, where there is specific reference in the current draft of the direct linkages of digital priorities within the cultural sector, this is linked to creative arts and industries.

The Government requires a more balanced view of the scope of new and emerging digital skills and the impact that technology is having on skills in areas such as the museums sector, for example on accessibility of collections both locally and internationally. This will ensure the aims identified within the strategy and actions which emerge with respect to behaviour change within government departments are genuinely relevant across the cultural landscape and positively impact all sectors.

It is also important that, during this period of continual change around digital approaches to collections and culture generally, practitioners are supported in the work to enable communities and individuals to personally experience their cultural heritage. This tangible cultural heritage, whether it is collections or the built environment and the opportunity to see and even touch those things in person are an essential and vital component of our traditional means of enjoying that heritage. Digital approaches to making heritage available to audiences should always be just one of the many varieties of experiences that are available and this should not be at the expense of an individual’s direct connection with their history or the history of others.

The importance of direct, face-to-face personal interactions and how they are beneficial to supporting positive mental and emotional health and wellbeing cannot be over-stated. While digital platforms and means of encouraging participation are welcome, they should not be regarded (directly or implicitly) as the end in itself in enabling participation. They should only feature as one of a range of solutions, or as an option that enables behaviour change, increases an individual’s social connections and makes an active and positive contribution towards improving their quality of life. That is why MGS is pleased that the Scottish Government’s emerging strategy aimed at tackling loneliness and isolation, ‘A Connected Scotland’, directly references the role that culture and heritage can play in this regard. The culture strategy should make reference to the loneliness and isolation strategy, which in its own way will be a cross-cutting programme with the potential to support linkages between Government departments. Furthermore, ‘A Connected Scotland’ should also make more explicitly clear the contribution the cultural heritage sector and the facilities and resources available could contribute for people who may be lonely or isolated and community cohesion in general.

Under section 4.5, ‘Sustaining Culture’, the strategy notes that “investment has also been targeted to fund digital initiatives for the culture and heritage sector” (page 34). MGS is not aware of the specific funding referred to here and would welcome clarification in order that this support can be highlighted for the benefit of the Scottish museums sector.

In line with our previous comments, there should be further and specific reference to museums in this section, to reflect the significant role which our sector makes in the communities in which they operate. While there are references to “historic and contemporary buildings” and “cultural and civic buildings”, museums are civic and cultural hubs. Their collections and artefacts will, particularly in the case of local museums, be associated with the history of the area and so central to community identity and shared memories about heritage and identity.

Where the strategy delves into greater detail this, again, is with a strong focus on creative arts and industries. There is a risk of other sectors appearing to be side-lined or regarded as being of peripheral importance. That is why the strategy needs to have a settled structure which either reflects the particular interests of individual cultural sectors, such as cultural heritage and museums, or it needs to clearly express how the specifics of these sectors will be expressed and implemented with respect to their own relevant sectoral strategy.


Equalities

We welcome the inclusive approach to culture with respect to engagement and feel that this could be expanded upon both in terms of the protected characteristics (gender, sexuality, disability, age, race and religion) and also with a clearer expression and understanding of the work undertaken by the museums sector in tackling inequality. MGS’s grant streams
Glasgow Women’s Library recently completed their ‘Equality in Progress’ project, which was part-funded by MGS, which supports the wider museums sector to gain a better understanding of ‘equality’ as a theory, with the intention of widening access, representation and inclusion for people with Protected Characteristics . The subsequent report looked at the power relationships between museums and people, including barriers to information, learning and resources, with a view to unpacking the methods that have established, as well as maintain, inequality of access to museums. While the report acknowledges there is still much to be done, this open, honestly self-critical approach to analysing the quality of the sector’s work in this area should be a model for the wider cultural landscape in assessing what steps are needed to ensure potential participants and audiences alike are welcomed.

It is important that diversity is considered within the context of working with all minorities, such as disabled and LGBT people, to support them in telling and curating their own stories and histories, with that story being representative of what those people see as their history, culture and identities. Too often, culture (in whatever form) is described in language that can appear to suggest this is something which happens ‘to’ minorities as passive recipients, as opposed to active and engaged co-producers. We feel the draft strategy would benefit from acknowledging the support available to minority practitioners and audiences alike within the museums sector, as well as the creative arts, and to reflect the significant work to make our sector more open, inclusive and relevant to minority audiences.

CASE STUDY – MUSEUM OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ST ANDREWS

In collaboration with Madras College, Fife College and Fife Council, MUSA produced an exhibition of photographs taken by recent migrants, exploring their experiences coming to and living in the area. Participants were able to practice their English in a real-world setting, gain new skills and share their experiences, while pupils from Madras College who were interested in museum careers were given an opportunity to gain, and put into practice, new skills on exhibitions and curatorial project work.

MGS is strongly supportive of the strategy’s content with respect to the understanding of the importance of communities and supporting people from across Scotland to participate in cultural activities. Even with the national conversation which informed the early work of the culture strategy, the diversity and variety of Scottish communities, as well as their geographic spread, means that this inclusive approach must be sustained beyond the timescale of the consultation process.

The eventual strategy and, more importantly, its implementation and evaluation, needs to be developed with a greater degree of mindfulness around how cultural in rural (and remote and rural) communities is celebrated, curated and safeguarded. While cultural practices and traditions in these communities takes place irrespective of involvement from Edinburgh and Glasgow, there is undoubtedly more that could be done to foster collaboration, share resources and encourage wider participation with audiences from across Scotland and even internationally.

With a view to sharing expertise in museum practice across the whole of Scotland, MGS has supported the establishment of a nationwide network of Geographic Forums and Subject Specialist Networks. These peer support networks allow museums the opportunity to share knowledge among holders of specific collections types (from contemporary art to natural sciences) where, for example, there may be a need for further curatorial support.

Scotland’s museums are anchored in their (changing) communities and provide a trusted space from which different groups can explore their own heritage, as well as their sense of identity, self and culture, and consider how this could be curated, conserved, interpreted and safeguarded. The celebration of cultural heritage can have an important part to play in a community’s sense of identity and there should be a specific aim within the strategy dedicated to understanding and promoting the contribution of culture to place-making, in terms of celebrating and protecting our unique identities in communities across Scotland.

As much as there is a need for the strategy to reflect synergies in agendas across government departments, this should also be maintained within the structure of the strategy itself. The links between skills and capacity building around community engagement, particularly with respect to rural communities and supporting the rural economy, need to be considered as two sides of the same coin. As we have stated throughout our submission, the work of museums can intersect powerfully with wider government policies, activity and legislation. The aims and aspirations of the Scottish Government’s Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015, with its focus on enhancing community participation and engagement with local assets and their ownership, is directly complemented by the work of museums in rural communities, particularly those which are run by volunteers. It is through legislation such as this, where there is clear potential for the work and activities of museums to align with and accelerate the intended benefits of the policies, where MGS would appreciate earlier opportunities to engage and ensure the needs of our sector are taken into account.

CASE STUDY – OLD HAA MUSEUM, ISLAND OF YELL, SHETLAND

The museum is a major social centre for the island’s population of 966. Alongside the display areas and commercial gallery for local artists, there is a tea room, one of three places to eat on the island, which is used as a focal point for people to socialise, helping to tackle isolation on the island, as well as supporting local people living with dementia. The museum noticed gaps in provision offered on island and, by proactively seeking ways of benefiting the community, the museum fulfils an important role as a welcoming, regularly-used and vibrant multipurpose community building.

Cultural participation

It is also critical that the Scottish Government increases its efforts to address the disparity of cultural engagement and participation between wealthier and more deprived communities, consistently evidenced in the Scottish Household Survey. This is not to say that people in deprived communities do not have or participate in culture, or to imply a relative value, merit or benefit of – for example – the cultural practice of visiting museums over another form of cultural practice. Rather, it is about ensuring an equality of opportunity for all people to enjoy the breadth and variety of cultural experiences which are available across Scotland. Furthermore, given what is known about the practice of visiting museums as having a positive impact on educational attainment, it is in everyone’s interest for people from all communities and backgrounds – irrespective of their means – to have the opportunity to visit museums .


Educational outreach

Museums regularly feature as venues for school trips, offering a wealth of experiences to grow children’s understanding of the world and stimulating their imagination and interest beyond the confines of the classroom. Professionals from across our sector understand this as a central tenet of their duties, whatever their role in the museum. However, these museum visits are not cost neutral for venues and can actually incur significant expense that they can ill-afford at a time when local budgets are being severely reduced. While funding is available to support school visits to heritage sites through sector bodies such as HES, MGS would welcome discussion of how this could be better shared across the culture heritage sector to ensure museums can continue to offer their invaluable support to students without these visits having a detrimental impact on their business model.

Through consultation with the museums sector and other external stakeholders, MGS realise that there are many more barriers to be broken down within the educational policy. Across all curriculum levels, MGS understands that transport is regarded as a significant and particular barrier to Educational Outreach and Out-of-School Learning, particularly resulting from costs incurred. More broadly, the value of the museums sector in terms of experiential learning in Third and Fourth Level and Senior Phase is often under-rated and very limited due to timetable capacity. Museums and galleries are uniquely placed to ensure high quality learning experiences using collections and expertise to illustrate real world historic, current and future practice.

MGS would, therefore, welcome a high-impact approach to ensure the wider contribution of the museums sector in this policy area is recognised and utilised to its full potential and to the greatest benefit of students. Our sector has strived to ensure innovative working practices are implemented to fulfil the ‘experiences and outcomes’ of many of the subject areas of the Curriculum for Excellence. For these reasons, it is essential that the impact on educational attainment and achievement levels of museum learning should be recognised and understood by education practitioners and policy makers. With this in mind, we would welcome further discussion around impact measurement generally, including the sector’s contribution to education in particular.


Specific comments

Page 26, 4.4 Empowering through culture
• First paragraph, “As well as language and landscape…”
o Include reference to museums and museum collections within the described “array of historic and contemporary buildings”.
Page 29, 4.4 Empowering through culture
• Third paragraph, “Similar to hidden costs…”
Page 33, 4.5 Sustaining culture
• First paragraph, “The power of culture…”
Ensure this better reflects the breadth of the cultural heritage sector.

Skills development

It is important that the strategy reflects a broader understanding of the complex nature of skills and the prominent role of volunteers within the cultural heritage sector. There should be a clearer commitment to resourcing skills development across cultural heritage as well as culture in general with a view to future-proofing careers and competencies so that our museums are able to go on delivering the highest quality service for their communities and audiences.

It has been with this purpose in mind that MGS has delivered upon a variety of workstreams aimed at supporting skills development for professionals across the Scottish museums sector. One of the three principal aims of MGS’s own grants programmes is around skills development, with more than £625,000 directed specifically at skills development in the sector in the last 5 years. In addition, our Skills for Success (SfS) programme, a vocational learning programme, acknowledges the challenges of obtaining employment in the museums sector without a specific professional qualification or substantial volunteering experience, providing new entrants with the opportunity to develop personal competencies while engaged in protecting their cultural heritage. Funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund since 2011, SfS has supported 79 individuals pursue careers in the sector, with 87 per cent going on to employment in careers as diverse as museum management, learning and engagement, curatorial, volunteer management and digital management. Support for programmes like SfS are critical in ensuring the long-term sustainability of the museums sector by diversifying the workforce, sharing skills and addressing skills gaps.

These initiatives, along with a host of seminars and training sessions, reflect MGS’s response to the report, ‘Character Matters’, which examined the skills, knowledge, attitudes and behaviours currently held by the museum workforce. MGS was a contributing partner to that report and is also represented on the steering group towards the delivery of the report outcomes. It is through this, and the means noted above, that we are actively working with the sector so museum professionals have a breadth of skills and competencies to ensure the sustainability of organisations. This is especially necessary given the broad challenges of the current economic climate and specific considerations inherent in issues such as Scotland’s ageing population. Nurturing a skilled workforce and building capacity amongst young people to ensure they have the right skills for the jobs of tomorrow is a critical way to develop resilience across the economy and within the Scottish museums sector in particular.

There is too often an assumption that careers within the museums sector are limited to curatorial roles, whereas the reality is that it supports a diversity of careers which each require their own route to employment and ongoing professional development. Educational outreach, interpretation, community engagement officers, leadership and administrative roles in business management are all key functions that lie behind successful museums. As part of our role as the national development body for the Scottish museums sector, MGS delivers a skills programme which responds to the changing needs of all museum professionals whilst also providing individuals with competencies that will be of value to them should they choose to work outwith the museums sector.

Elsewhere in our submission, we have simply referred to “museum professionals” to cover the breadth of roles available in the sector. We feel it is necessary for the culture strategy to more accurately reflect the variety of career opportunities available across the cultural sector generally and the cultural heritage and museums sector particularly. Doing so will add to the impetus and drive for Government departments and agencies to work more closely in addressing the challenges that need to be met if we are to enhance the sustainability of the Scottish museums sector.

CASE STUDY – DIGITAL SKILLS

• Argyll Forum and Dig It TV: a skills development programme for older volunteers on the internet; through YouTube, the scheme generated attention for Argyll’s cultural resources and activities for younger audiences.
• Industrial Museums Scotland: IMS undertook a wholesale website rebrand and launch with a new communications strategy and approach to their collective marketing.
• Both of these projects were funded by MGS. In 2017, we launched MGS Online, our e-portal to process grant applications. Use of the platform has required institutions to enhance digital skills, supported by MGS staff.

Cultural workforce

As mentioned throughout our submission, MGS is concerned that where the draft strategy goes in to detail with respect to examples from within the cultural sector, this tends to be with a focus on the creative arts and industries. This is true with respect to the content on the cultural workforce and developing excellence and, in particular, with the emphasis on freelancers. Again, while these are important areas within the cultural landscape, the repeated focus and attention allotted to those sectors risks significantly detracting from the relevance and applicability of the strategy to areas such as cultural heritage and the Scottish museums sector. Once more, that is why MGS considers that a separate commitment from the Scottish Government to the establishment of an arts and creative industries strategy would provide space for a dedicated focus on the needs of that sector. Within the context of an overarching, national culture strategy that is to be applicable to all sectors, it is vital that the right balance is struck between general relevance and specific examples and detail.

The strategy’s comments on the practice of freelance work are far too broad, simplistic and applied too expansively; it fails to provide a sufficiency of context which would make them comprehensible or applicable to museum professionals for whom that model did not ring true to their own experience. Freelance work represents just one form of employment within the cultural sector and the emphasis given within the overall scale of the strategy document implicitly suggests either a greater extent of their use within the cultural sector as a whole or a greater priority with respect to the relative issues and needs of other workers.


Volunteering

One aspect in which the strategy is fundamentally lacking in detail is around the role of volunteers. It is not only artists and freelance workers who face increased expectations to have undertaken unpaid internships or voluntary roles in order to gain experience or a foothold into their desired sector. 2015 report, ‘The Whole Picture’, revealed that almost all museums (94 per cent) who participated in the research, used volunteers, with nearly a third of all venues (31 per cent) staffed solely by volunteers. Overall, it was estimated that the value of volunteer time to the museums sector was around £5.3 million.

Volunteering is a central pillar of museum service provision and without this critical workforce the sector simply could not function at the scale which it currently does. Volunteers are often seen as a ‘free’ or cost-neutral resource, which fails to reflect the investment both in time and training that goes in to getting the best out of individuals. In particular, MGS and the sector would support consideration of how volunteer expenses, key for enabling training and upskilling individuals, may be better supported, as well as enhancing connections between museums and schools, jobseekers and others in a way that will be mutually beneficial for all participants.

CASE STUDY – FIFE FOLK MUSEUM

‘Things we Love’ was a unique opportunity for Fife Folk Museum's volunteers to take part in a photographic exhibition celebrating the role of volunteers in caring for the museum’s collection. Volunteers chose their favourite object, researched its history, handling and conservation needs, and produced new written interpretation based on their research. Photographs of the volunteers and their object were also displayed alongside the new text to form an exhibition in its own right. The project increased the knowledge, skills and curatorial understanding of the museum volunteers, attracted new visitors and promoted the role and value of volunteering in a creative and positive way.

MGS has made available throughout our submission a range of case studies of best practice from museums across Scotland. There are an array of examples beyond this which showcase the capacity of our sector to contribute positively, creatively and constructively to the wider priorities of the Scottish Government and we would be delighted to share these and discuss further how museums can play a fuller role in achieving the aims and vision of the strategy.

MGS is committed to doing all we can to supporting the Scottish museums sector and we will continue to working positively with practitioners and stakeholders in achieving the vision, aims, ambitions and actions of the strategy as they relate to cultural heritage. We must question the rationale for the positioning of MGS within the strategy and the way in which the organisation and its functions are referenced.

This is most specifically the case with respect to our role as both representative body for and funding body to the Scottish museums sector. We feel it is necessary that this confusion, which has been referenced in discussion with sector representatives, requires definite clarification. The emerging strategy will set the tone for collaborative partnerships across the cultural, cultural heritage and wider portfolios and, as such, it is vital that it paints an accurate picture of the landscape in terms of sector bodies and roles. Furthermore, as the onus for delivery of the strategy will likely be shared by the Government through a range of secondary stakeholder strategies and intermediary bodies, it is critical that it accurately captures the true nature of where MGS sits in that landscape.

As the lead national body with portfolio responsibility for the museums sector, it would be incumbent upon MGS and our Board of Directors to incorporate into our business plans how we would support the realisation of the strategy. This would require appropriate planning with respect to monitoring and evaluation, measuring impact, collections care, grant funding, setting professional standards through our own activities and continuing to manage the Accreditation and Recognition Schemes for Scotland. With this in mind, it is critical that – prior to the publication of a finalised Strategy – MGS must have sight of a further draft to ensure these practical arrangements have been accurately captured. This will allow us to fully own our area of influence and responsibility and empower MGS to plan appropriately so that we could contribute towards the delivery of the Culture Strategy as it relates to cultural heritage and the Scottish museums sector.

The emerging culture strategy raises many shared issues which MGS is addressing through our own strategy, ‘Going Forward’’ and current delivery plan. Over the coming 12 months, MGS will begin the process of developing our next strategy. We expect that the national culture strategy would help to frame the discussion and direction of our own strategy, including the ambitions and values as set out. The two must be complementary and compatible and this is why it is so important that the emerging cultural strategy is mindful of the particular needs of the museums sector or to more directly express where MGS’s strategies (current and future) are the clear expression of the vision, aims and ambitions which will require to be realised if we are to achieve a sustainable museums sector in Scotland.

Culture should be a central consideration within the broader context of social, economic and political life, fully integrated within the development of policy and initiatives that have the capacity to support investment and participation in all cultural activities. Success would see the Scottish Government integrating culture and the museums sector within their work in health and wellbeing, learning and attainment, planning, placemaking and community regeneration. This will ensure that the transformative impact which culture can have on people’s lives is sustained and maximised.

We also consider the achievement and delivery of the summary points noted in our introductory comments as being what would constitute success for the strategy. We feel, however, that the Government should also be mindful of the achievements of their earlier cultural strategies and outcomes from those earlier documents as noted above.

MGS is mindful of the significant challenges inherent in developing a national framework and standard for consistently and accurately monitoring and evaluating the implementation and delivery of the strategy. This is why the availability of data and early engagement with researchers is necessary if we are to better understand how practice has changed as a result of the strategy’s existence. As above, we feel the Scottish Government should work across departments and agencies to make data on cultural activities in the broadest sense openly available for scrutiny and use by professionals and academics alike.

Effective evaluation requires adequate resourcing, whether financial, time-related or personnel. The practice of widespread evaluation becoming the norm would require a greater proportion of budgets and funding for existing cultural practice to be spread more thinly so as to finance that evaluation. This would potentially risk the scale of provision, locally and nationally, and demand that more time of cultural practitioners be spent on administrative work to evidence their impact across a number of metrics.

While some evaluation is necessary, it is vital that the Scottish Government strike the right balance in requiring evidence based impact assessment (based on statistical data) and to set clearer boundaries and guidance as to when qualitative and quantitative evidence is necessary as a central funder.


The effectiveness of this approach will depend a great deal on the means by which the strategy is delivered in terms of specific mechanisms for support within the Scottish Government and engagement with the cultural sector. The Measuring Change Group will need to be rooted in the cultural sector (mindful that this is, as stated earlier, a diverse and disparate group itself), with clear linkages from practitioners and professionals on the ground and the public. The group must be more than simply a talking shop, with meaningful capacity to relate to Ministers progress achieved towards delivery of the strategy and the opportunity to raise any concerns that may exist.

The responses to question 14 on what success will look like should form the basis of how the group can assess whether the outcome of this strategy is leading to demonstrable (and positive) change across the cultural sector.

Informed decisions on the direction of travel must be taken based on available data and evidence, all of which will depend upon adequate provision of resources and effective reporting mechanisms and channels of communication between the sector and the group. Cultural practitioners require an adequate level of funding that not only makes the activity feasible but also enables an appropriate degree of evaluation. Evidencing impact is an increasingly important and expected component of activities and projects. Funders expect organisations to have a developed process that will reveal the wider effects and outcomes of projects. The Scottish Government has an important role to play in setting the standard for funders by ensuring that those in receipt of grants receive a sufficient level of support which will make that evaluation possible.

MGS has developed resources to measure economic impact and is in the process of creating a new toolkit around measuring the social value of museums, including their impact on education, health & well-being, and community cohesion. The case can be to funders for support, but also to communities to help them to engage more effectively with the important work museums do, to get involved, or to help them to more effectively advocate for those cultural resources which they value. This would also have the effect of enabling MGS to create a nationwide picture of the wider impact of the sector.

As stated above and throughout, MGS feels the consultation document does not sufficiently reflect the role of Scotland’s museums sector and the breadth of its contribution to wider public policy outcomes, such as health and education. With that in mind, it is important that Scotland’s museums and cultural heritage feature more prominently in the final version. The Strategy should encourage a more openly strategic approach to engagement with cultural heritage across local and national government. Wider public policy priorities, such as health and education, should actively place museums at the heart of planning around service delivery, funding, resourcing and partnerships.

MGS is keen to see that our sector is embedded within other relevant Government strategies and incorporated into the planning for the delivery of public policy outcomes. The museums sector needs to be better understood as a central pillar that will ultimately help to realise the ambitions of the Scottish Government’s emerging Cultural Strategy.

There should be careful consideration and use of language to ensure reference to culture is not limited only to the perspective of “creative” careers and sectors. As a broad church, Scotland’s cultural heritage sector should be reflected as such in the emerging Strategy, with equal weighting and prominence given to all areas of cultural life.


Visual design

We would encourage the Scottish Government not to underestimate the importance of inclusive visual design within the finished document. It is telling that, in the light of the limited reference to the museums sector in the text of the proposed Strategy, there is no single image of a museum in the draft document. Our cultural heritage is a driving force in shaping people’s understanding of national identity, as well as a determining factor in many people’s reasons for visiting Scotland as a tourist destination. Reflecting the importance of our local and national museums in the document would acknowledge the central role of the Scottish museums sector in both shaping and supporting the delivery of the Culture Strategy.


Brexit

Consideration should be given in the strategy as to how Scotland’s cultural life – and our cultural heritage in particular – would be impacted as a result of Brexit and of a ‘No Deal’ scenario in particular. This is especially necessary given this outcome appears increasingly likely and has been described (by civil servants and commentators alike) as being likely to have a profoundly negative impact on social, political and economic life. We welcome the commitment in the programme for government to an ‘International Creative Ambition Programme’ and will look forward to working with the Government and informing decisions on how funding made available for this could mitigate any negative impacts of Brexit upon the Scottish museums sector.

As noted above, MGS would wish to see a more expansive approach to equalities and ensuring the strategy is better aligned with the Government's thinking and practice with respect to tackling inequality in Scotland.

N/A.

N/A.

N/A.