Museums Australia (Victoria) Melbourne Museum Carlton Gardens, Carlton PO Box 385 Carlton South, Victoria 3053 (03) 8341 7344 Regional Freecall 1800 680 082 www.mavic.asn.au 08 annual report Contents About Museums Australia Inc. (Victoria) About Museums Australia Inc. (Victoria) .................................................................................................. 2 Mission Enabling museums and their Training and Professional Development President’s Report .................................................................................................................................... 3 services, including phone and print-based people to develop their capacity to inspire advice, referrals, workshops and seminars. Treasurer’s Report .................................................................................................................................... 4 Membership and Networking Executive Director’s Report ...................................................................................................................... 5 and engage their communities. to proactively and reactively identify initiatives for the benefit of existing and Management ............................................................................................................................................. 7 potential members and links with the wider museum sector. The weekly Training & Professional Development and Member Events ................................................................... 9 Statement of Purpose MA (Vic) represents approximately one e-bulletin and website resources offer Museums Australia (Victoria) provides third of Museums Australia’s total MAP – Museum Accreditation Program ...................................................................................................11 a range of up-to-date information and professional services to develop and membership. It represents the Victorian resources. Building Better Regional Museums – BBRM .........................................................................................12 sustain the roles and interests of museum members and co-ordinates services Community Collections Training .............................................................................................................13 communities across Victoria. Museums for them. Regional Exhibition and Touring Initiative Regional Exhibition Touring Initiative ......................................................................................................14 Australia is the national association (RETI) providing advice, professional representing the museum and gallery Membership development and grants specifically INSITE .......................................................................................................................................................15 sector. The Victorian branch of Museums Australia targeted to improve exhibition touring provides services for museums and museum activity in regional Victoria. Acknowledgments ....................................................................................................................................16 Values workers regardless of membership status, Building Better Regional Museums (BBRM) Financials .................................................................................................................................................18 • Recognising that museums and galleries and our programs are relevant, accessible provides grants for small infrastructure occupy a vital place in the community and strategically useful to the sector as projects in regional museums and • Recognising the contributions of our a whole. practical advice and information through members to the sector MA (Vic) encourages membership of site visits and telephone support. • Supporting access to and the care of the anyone, or any organisation, with an interest distributed national collection INSITE our stimulating and informative in or an association with museums. • Recognising and celebrating diversity member magazine published five times Membership is relevant for individuals and including Indigenous cultural heritage a year is directly sent to members with the organisations involved in the operations • Recognising the importance of being a latest news on Victorian museums, events and administration of museums, institutions forum for ideas and practical advice on museological that teach courses relevant to museum • Upholding the highest ethical professional matters. practice and both public and private standards. institutions that hold collections of cultural Community Collections Training material. a program targeted at developing the Background skills and capacity of community museum Museums Australia (Victoria) is a state The Victoria membership reflects the workers to care for and share their branch of a not-for-profit national great diversity of the museum sector. collections. membership association founded in 1993 At the end of December 2008 it included to bring together people concerned with 229 organisations spanning archives, art The Branch Office is housed on the lower the care and communication of Australia’s galleries, botanical gardens, community ground floor of the Melbourne Museum. natural, artistic and cultural heritage. historical societies, exhibition venues, Members enjoy easy access to Branch natural and social history museums and services and staff. Information brochures Through the direction of an elected specialist collections. At end 2008 we had from Victoria’s museums are displayed in Committee, the Victorian Branch provides 254 individual members, most of whom are the foyer to provide promotional services support, representation and professional working either professionally or voluntarily for our members, as well as information development services to the museum in museums as curators, conservators, to Melbourne Museum visitors about the sector throughout the state. collection managers, exhibition designers, wealth of Victoria’s collections. Museums guides, historians and educators. Our key Australia (Victoria) is grateful for the services include: generous ongoing support of Museum Victoria in making this space available. The Museum Accreditation Program offering tools for museum groups to develop with reference to accepted industry standards, drawing heavily on peer-review and guidance and the National Standards for Australian Museums and Galleries. 1 Museums Australia (Victoria) Annual Report 2008 / www.mavic.asn.au 2 President’s Report Treasurer’s Report My year in the role as President for the • The launch of the National Standards for All of these efforts would not be possible 2008 was another highly successful year Total assets were $235,072 up from In addition to these partnerships a review Victorian Branch of Museums Australia Australian Museums and Galleries on without the dedication of so many people, for MA (Vic) as we continued to deliver $128,147 in 2007 as funding was received of the exhibition capacity of community has provided me with the opportunity to 1 September. including the MA (Vic) staff, Branch quality programs and publications while in December for activities that relate to museums was undertaken with funds provide first hand support to the museum • Record numbers of museums participating Committee and sub-committee members. securing grant income for non core 2009. This provides a higher cash balance provided by Arts Victoria. MA (Vic) has also sector. As a membership association, I in the Museum Accreditation Program and operational projects. compared to 2007. This increase is offset secured funding from Arts Victoria and Special thanks go to our guest presenters believe that Museums Australia (Victoria) continued in-kind support from expert by the increase in liabilities from $67,628 Heritage Victoria to update the Small in MA (Vic) programs, the volunteers and The financial result for the year ending 31 plays a pivotal role in supporting museums panellists assisting the MAP managers. in 2007 to $146,414 in 2008 as this has Museums Cataloguing Manual to support MAP panellists, and to our funding December 2008 was a surplus of $28,139 by providing a voice to government, • A best ever annual Victorian Museum been recognised as income in advance community collections, to be developed contributors and supporters; Arts Victoria, compared to the previous year’s result of encouraging community engagement, Awards at which the State Library ran out on the balance sheet. in 2009. Heritage Victoria, Museum Victoria, who $1,804. The key financial highlights were: providing learning opportunities and caring of seats due to the popularity of the event. provide so much in-kind to the This year’s result was a combination of the I acknowledge the commitment and for aspects of Australia’s distributed • A review of exhibition capacity in Victorian Arts Victoria Grants increased by 79% to organisation, and of course our members. ongoing support and delivery of the current dedication of all staff at MA (Vic) who cultural heritage. community museums, a project which $582,766, this included a $150,000 grant programs and the additional funding ensured that this year was another success, includes a review of the RETI (Regional We have a number of partner organisations for Building Better Regional Museums Victoria offers a vibrant culture that obtained through successful grant and in particular the hard work conducted Exhibitions Touring Initiative) program. to thank including Public Galleries