Birmingham Museums Trust Ten-Year Strategy

To reflect to the world and the world to Birmingham 2018 – 2027 Ten-Year Strategy / CONTENTS 02/03

Contents 04 Where we are 06 The next ten years 08 Our vision 10 Core purpose 12 Guiding principles 14 Strategic partnerships 16 Strategic aims 22 Signature projects 28 Heritage Sites 34 Exhibitions and tours Ten-Year Strategy / WHERE WE ARE 04/05 Where Where

Birmingham Museums Trust was the Faith in Birmingham gallery weset up in 2012 as anare independent and other co-curated displays are charity to manage the city’s museum and exhibitions have expanded collection and venues on behalf of the reach of our engagement to many more of the communities we . We earn over 60% of our turnover from a of this super-diverse city. The range of sources: admission fees, Arts Council Collection National membership subscriptions, trading Partners Programme, New Art West and fundraising income. Our two Midlands and other exhibitions main sources of public funding are have strengthened Birmingham Birmingham City Council and Arts Museums Trust’s profile as a venue Council . for contemporary art. We have delivered the first year of a joint MA Birmingham Museums Trust has in Museum Leadership in partnership achieved its original aims over the with Birmingham City University, first five years. Our visitor numbers and from 2018 onwards we will be are growing – up by over 10% to touring a major exhibition to eight 1.1m. Our audiences are becoming venues in North America, raising more diverse. Our trading company’s the profile of Birmingham and its performance has improved. It now museums. Fundraising for the new yields a return of 25% on turnover MiniBrum gallery for under-eights at of over £2m, making a substantial Thinktank is near completion. Across contribution to the Trust and all our venues, our dedicated teams reducing its dependence on are delivering more vibrant public public funding. programming and improving levels Beyond this, Birmingham Museums of customer service, as our Visit Trust has delivered and continues England scores show. Above all, to deliver a range of notably we have forged lasting partnerships successful projects and activities. that we can build on for the future. The Collecting Birmingham project, All this has been achieved in the Changemakers programme, interesting times. Ten-Year Strategy / THE NEXT TEN YEARS 06/07

Birmingham Museums Trust has ambitious plans for the next ten years. In order to achieve them, we will need The next to find new sources of ten yea rs funding, growing our existing Our plans include three major As investment becomes available capital projects – the creation of a we will upgrade the buildings new store and headquarters that is and grounds. trading activities, looking also a cultural and community hub, Our aspiration is that our audiences the reimagination of Birmingham and our workforce should reflect for new areas of business, Museum & Art Gallery for the super- the city we serve. Birmingham diverse city of the 21st century, and Museums Trust’s commitment to the creation of a new Birmingham diversity, co-curation and community implementing our fundraising Museum of Science & Industry that engagement is supported by showcases the city’s great industrial partnerships with other cultural history and its place at the cutting organisations locally, nationally and strategy and seeking new edge of innovation. These projects internationally. We will develop the will be transformational, not only collection to make it more accessible forms of investment. in terms of buildings and displays physically, digitally and intellectually, but as catalysts for organisational and explore dynamic ways of using and change, providing the chance to managing it for public programming, introduce radically new ways of academic research and income generation. Our temporary exhibition working with audiences, using the programme will give our audiences collection and doing business. the chance to see the best of other Few major industrial cities have collections. Our international touring a portfolio of important historic exhibitions will provide a platform buildings that can compare with for raising the profile of the city and Birmingham’s Heritage Sites. Their Birmingham Museums overseas. survival is something to be celebrated. By the end of ten years Birmingham The closure of the Museum & Art Museums Trust will be financially Gallery for redevelopment offers an sustainable, with an international opportunity to focus on innovative reputation for excellence in audience programming at the heritage engagement and visitor experience, properties, raising their profile, a researched, accessible collection rewarding the loyalty of regular and a well-maintained and visitors and attracting new ones. presented estate. Ten-Year Strategy / OUR VISION 08/09

Birmingham Museums Trust and Birmingham City To reflect Birmingham Council have a shared understanding of the vision to the world and the and future strategy of Birmingham Museums for world to Birmingham the next hundred years that will include:

• Reflecting Birmingham to • Playing a leadership role among the world, and the world to the city’s and region’s cultural Birmingham, contributing to organisations, maximising place-making and local identity the potential of a great • Caring for and developing the multidisciplinary collection collection, balancing the demands • Working with international of public access in the present with partners to position the city’s the need to preserve the collection cultural profile on a global scale for future generations • Maintaining and presenting • Documenting and researching the buildings to provide first-class collection to support the creation of visitor experiences engaging and stimulating content • Fostering a culture of innovation • Embedding community engagement and entrepreneurship, creating and participatory practice a more varied income base • Delivering learning, inspiration and through fundraising and enjoyment through varied public commercial development programming, including displays, • Developing a diverse and Our exhibitions, workshops, courses, highly trained workforce publications and digital media • Attracting growing and increasingly diverse audiences of residents and visitors to the city, enhancing its vision reputation as a cultural destination Ten-Year Strategy / CORE PURPOSE OF BIRMINGHAM MUSEUMS TRUST 10/11 Core of Birmingham purposeMuseums Trust To showcase our outstanding collection and venues to inspire learning, creativity and enjoyment for the people of Birmingham and visitors to the region.

Education is part of our charitable Birmingham City Council has object and lies at the heart of our entrusted Birmingham Museums activity. Birmingham Museum & Trust with the responsibility of Art Gallery was set up in 1885 with caring for its collection and the the explicit aim of teaching the buildings in which it is stored and artisans of Birmingham to improve displayed. The City of Birmingham’s its manufactures by showing them museum holdings represent one the best in art and design. The focus of the three great historic regional may have changed, but making real collections of the United Kingdom. objects accessible to the widest The collection consists of around possible range of audiences for 1 million objects, covering almost learning, inspiration and enjoyment every subject across the four main remains our core business. Museums disciplines of fine and decorative enable people to learn from the art, human history, natural science, past to understand the present and and science and industry. Most of foresee the future. They provide the collection is Designated as being spaces where people can explain of national significance. Six of our their differences to each other. We nine venues are Listed Buildings use the city’s collection to reflect and one is a Scheduled Ancient what is unique about the culture Monument. We are the stewards and heritage of Birmingham within of this extraordinary range of public a global context. We promote assets. We will use them to realise Birmingham to local, national and our vision, and manage them international audiences, and we use dynamically so that we can hand our venues to showcase new ideas them on to the next generation. from the rest of the world. We make the collection physically, digitally, intellectually and emotionally accessible to all our audiences, pushing the boundaries of traditional museum practice. Ten-Year Strategy / GUIDING PRINCIPLES 12/13

Inclusivity Our work Birmingham Museums Trust is for everyone

is guided Excellence We strive to be leaders and innovators, offering great Inclusivity by five experiences to our customers principles Working Together We work in partnership and support each other to achieve more for our audiences Excellence Sustainable We are entrepreneurial and put sustainability at the core of our practices Trust Principles Birmingham Museums Trust can be trusted to deliver on Working Together our promises and plans Sustainable Trust Ten-Year Strategy / STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS 14/15

Collaborating with others is fundamental to the sustainability Strategic of Birmingham Museums Trust. partnerships We work with many organisations across all areas of the business, including arts and culture, over 200 community groups and individuals, higher education, funding and media, commercial and trading, international sector and collection partners, and our Friends, Patrons and volunteers.

Over the next ten years we Key areas for partnership • Educational institutions: local will build on our existing development are: schools and colleges, Birmingham partnerships and seek new • Key funding partners: Birmingham City University, the University of partners who meet our City Council, Arts Council England, Birmingham, University, criteria for joint working: Heritage Lottery Fund, Greater University College London, Arts Connect WM • Contributes to the common Birmingham & Solihull Local • Communities (however defined), good of Birmingham Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP), Millennium Point Trust groups and individual supporters: • Expands engagement and Birmingham Central Mosque, • Cultural sector: Culture Central, diversifies audiences Nishkam Centre, Wassifa Heritage English Civic Museums Network, Foundation, Birmingham LGBT, • Enhances resources and South Asian Diaspora Arts Archive, Birmingham Irish Association surplus income National Museum Directors • Local businesses: Greater • Develops both organisations Council, Arts Council Collection, British Museum, Science Museum Birmingham Chamber of Group, Historic England, Legacy Commerce, Colmore BID, West WM, National Trust, New Art West Midlands Combined Authority Midlands, Beatfreeks, Friction Arts, • Tourism, media, digital and Birmingham Royal Ballet, Museum engagement: Association of Development networks Leading Visitor Attractions • Trusts and foundations including (ALVA), BBC, Heart of England Clore Duffield Foundation, Attractions, West Midlands Garfield Weston Foundation, Growth Company, Visit England Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, • Health sector and disability groups: Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Autism West Midlands, NHS, Wellcome Trust and public Project Aspie, RNIB, Dementia funders such as Big Lottery Fund Action Alliance, Birmingham Mind Ten-Year Strategy / STRATEGIC AIMS 16/17

We will fulfil our purpose and vision by taking forward detailed actions that meet five key strategic aims. These will be supported by priorities outlining actions that drive forward the strategy and make Strategic a fundamental difference to the future success of aims Birmingham Museums Trust. AIM 1 / Leading in excellence • Positioning Birmingham • Teaching and supporting the Museums as a focal point next generation of museum for contemporary art How we are • Supporting national health, professionals • Training, consultancy and wellbeing and education policies publishing best-practice • National and international going to get AIM 1 resources for the sector initiatives that contribute to the • Leading and participating in common good of Birmingham Leading in cultural networks and festivals excellence • Influencing the future of the sector AIM 4 / Building a sustainable business there AIM 2 / Developing the • An audit to determine the full costs collection and venues and benefits of areas of Birmingham AIM 2 • Capital projects that deliver our Museums Trust’s operations and purpose at Birmingham Museum a plan to build sustainability Developing the & Art Gallery, the Big Store and • Entrepreneurial culture and collection and venues Thinktank innovative approach at all • A masterplan for each of the levels of the business Heritage Sites • Support services that enable • A research framework for the managers to take the necessary AIM 3 collection decisions to deliver our • Improving digital and physical charitable aim Growing and access to the collection • Create a sustainable environment for our collection and buildings diversifying audiences AIM 3 / Growing and diversifying audiences AIM 5 / Investing in people • Putting visitors at the centre • Sound governance structures AIM 4 of our business and continuous Board, staff • New approaches to collecting, and volunteer development Building a sustainable programming, digital engagement • A diverse and highly trained and communications to reach the workforce business people and communities of the • A framework of career preparation city and region activities for young people AIM 5 Investing in people Ten-Year Strategy / STRATEGIC AIMS 18/19

AIM 1 / Leading in excellence We work in partnership with others to improve our services to attract new Birmingham’s museums and collection Over 130 years of public and private achieve more with our communities audiences and increase our capacity for for a century to come, and are likely to investment in museums in Birmingham through creative programming. generating income. Key to this process attract international interest. has created an outstanding collection, We deliver excellence through is improving digital access. This means Birmingham Museums engages not merely creating digital images of one of the great regional collections our educational programmes, our more schoolchildren than any other collection objects, but providing digital of the United Kingdom that reflects conservation services, and by initiating cultural organisation in the city. access to the records and archives Birmingham’s historic status as the specialist networks, including New We are committed to supporting that contain the priceless contextual second city of the British Empire. Art West Midlands – a network of the educational, cultural and social information on how, when, where, why development of children and young This collection is one of the city and universities, galleries, artists and and by whom objects were made, used, people in the areas of the city where region’s greatest assets. Maximising the curators. collected, found and acquired. This is they need it most, and to supporting potential of this asset for community New relationships with communities a long-term project, but without it we schools that are trying to improve. cohesion, education, regeneration and are informing the future of the museum will never be able to recognise the links We offer educational studies in tourism can only be achieved through service – how we collect, what we collect, between different objects and collecting history (local and global), art, science, working with others. We will create new and how we interpret it. We increasingly areas, and hence realise the collection’s engineering, maths and geography, opportunities for collaboration, teaching deliver displays, exhibitions and public full value as a resource for teaching, aligning with national and local and developing the next generation of programmes through co-curation research and creativity. strategies for community cohesion. museum professionals, offering our and engagement, decolonising the We will complete the Survey of expertise through consultancy and museum. We will experiment with new Our health and wellbeing programmes Significance of the collection, which disseminating what we learn to the sector. approaches to engage with communities will expand so that more of will for the first time provide a map Birmingham’s most vulnerable groups, Birmingham Museums Trust is a member of and audiences, taking the collection of all the areas of the collection and including the elderly, can develop skills Culture Central, the cultural development out beyond the walls of the museum to associated records, including an and self-confidence regardless of their agency for Birmingham, and we are audiences who do not or cannot visit our assessment of their condition, quality health needs and abilities. working to develop a new cultural venues. We will work with other arts, and context. This will form the basis for strategy with them for the region. As heritage and science organisations to Marketing and communications planning digitisation, movement and a founder of the English Civic Museums innovate and improve our service. strategies will grow visitor storage of the collection as part of the Network, we support our fellow museum numbers and audience diversity, capital projects. Combined with our leaders in exploring new models for civic AIM 2 / Developing the develop deeper relationships with continued learning from community museums to survive and thrive in the collection and venues audiences and supporters, underpin engagement and consultation, it will current economic climate. Our partnership income generation, and enhance The world has changed since the inform the dynamic management of with Birmingham City University is bearing the reputation of Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery was opened the collection in future, including areas fruit in the form of a Masters degree and Museums regionally, nationally in 1885 as a public service for the for rationalisation and acquisition. we are working on a number of projects edification of local artisans. Public and internationally. with the . funding is in decline. Demographic AIM 3 / Growing and Birmingham has a long history We play an active leadership role in changes have shrunk the professional diversifying audiences as a great international city, and middle classes who traditionally formed the development of cultural education Birmingham is a young, energetic, super- our national and international the core audience for museums. in the city through our role on the diverse city of many nationalities, faiths, programming increasingly reflects Museums are competing with many steering group of Birmingham’s Cultural languages, ethnicities and cultures. this. We will work with Culture Central other leisure choices. Today’s audiences Education Partnership, our membership Birmingham Museums is uniquely placed to raise the city’s international profile are still interested in the unique offer of of the steering group of the Bridge to experiment with rethinking a great, and develop it as an international museums – real objects as sources for cultural destination for domestic organisation’s (Arts Connect West historic, encyclopaedic collection for learning, inspiration and entertainment and international tourism and group Midlands) Leadership Development a new future, using co-production and – but what they want is less hushed travel. Our programming will bring Programme, and through acting as a community engagement to produce reverence, more social experience. new collections and ideas to venues lead partner with Birmingham Education fresh, attractive displays. We know and audiences in the city, working with Partnership to initiate a Secondary Art Birmingham Museums Trust needs to from research that visitors and non- other arts organisations to develop and Design teacher support network. redefine how we use the city’s historic visitors want museums to be safe social vibrant arts programming that reflects Birmingham Museums Trust is cultural assets in order to engage spaces where they can exchange views, Birmingham’s young, digital and recognised by Arts Council England as modern audiences. Birmingham now has sometimes on difficult subjects, and diverse communities. ‘outstanding’ for our commitment to one of the most diverse and youngest learn about each other. And for those the Creative Case for Diversity. Diversity populations of any city in Europe. We who are unable to visit in person, we will is embedded in our strategic planning need to know more about our collection seek funding to create outreach services and decisions about how we develop. and our communities so that we can and digital access. The results will shape Ten-Year Strategy / STRATEGIC AIMS 20/21

AIM 4 / Building a In retail, we will focus on developing Museums Trust as a charity and increase opportunities to diversify experience sustainable business bespoke products inspired by the city and individual giving and corporate support and skills, leadership and management Most major museums worldwide derive the collection. We will follow our tried at all levels, particularly from Midlands development programmes at all levels, their income from a combination of public and tested product development process and Birmingham-based supporters who and business-oriented behaviours. funding, endowments, philanthropic to test the market and create fast- we hope will become patrons, advocates Our Board members, staff and giving, sponsorship, fundraising and moving, profitable new product ranges and donors. In the medium to long term volunteers make an essential earned income. For museums in the UK, that appeal to our visitors and the wider Birmingham Museums Trust aims to contribution to Birmingham Museums the changes in public funding have been market. As we build our bespoke product create an unrestricted endowment fund Trust, and we will find new ways of as dramatic as they were unforeseen, ranges we will explore the potential and will explore establishing a US charity, recognising and celebrating this. We and the period of adjustment continues. to sell to other museums through our building on the relationships we develop will reward staff at a fair level according Managing a major public collection programme of touring exhibitions, and through our international touring to our available resources. We will represents a substantial overhead for to other retailers outside the sector. We programme. encourage and acknowledge new ideas, the business operation of a museum, and have identified three specific key areas Our major capital development plans initiative and creativity to advance our it is reasonable to expect that this cost for product development investment for the Museum & Art Gallery, the new strategic objectives. We will work actively should continue to be publicly funded. It from 2018–20; high-end products, the Store and the Birmingham Museum of through training and recruitment to takes time to build an endowment, and flour and baking brand, and Science & Industry, as well as smaller- create a diverse workforce and plan for Birmingham Museums Trust has begun to jewellery inspired by the city’s Jewellery scale developments at the Heritage Sites, career progression. Quarter and our own collection. do so with a major legacy for acquisitions. will require fundraising from existing We will deliver our equality and diversity Philanthropic giving and sponsorship in Conference and banqueting will continue and new sources including public funds, action plan, focusing on workforce England outside London are notoriously to be a core area of our business and as trusts and foundations, and corporate composition, recruitment, team- problematic, and fundraising from trusts we grow our turnover we will experiment and individual donors. The scale of building, training and development. and foundations is generally project- with hire opportunities that relate more fundraising required is unprecedented in It introduces a framework of career based. We will explore all possible closely to our exhibition programming. Birmingham Museums’ history of funding preparation activities including rollout of sources of funding, but earned income is Before the Museum & Art Gallery closes campaigns. We will develop an ambitious the successful Career Ladder scheme to the most obvious way of replacing the for redevelopment, we will maximise fundraising strategy to ensure that venues beyond Thinktank, volunteering, core or unrestricted income previously income from our new city centre successful campaigns for these major work placements, traineeships and represented by public funding. wedding venue, the Waterhall. capital developments will evolve into apprenticeships. Staff surveys will long-term donor relationships to ensure We plan to explore ways of realising the We have great expertise and experience monitor the engagement of staff and the future sustainability of Birmingham income generation potential represented among our staff team in community volunteers with the organisation. by the buildings, the collection and Museums Trust. While we need to attract engagement, co-curation and learning. Our volunteer programme supports the our people. Through innovation and major donors and powerful advocates, it One new business strand will explore sustainability of Birmingham Museums investment, we will increase the profit is important to attract large numbers of how we can grow income from sharing Trust by delivering activities that would that the trading company generates. small regular donations and grassroots this with other organisations. otherwise not be possible. We will We will look for areas of new business, supporters. We want all our donors to focus on developing this valued team growing the proportion of trading Arts Council England National Portfolio feel that they can make a difference to of over 900 diverse volunteers through income that is not directly dependent Funding (NPO) is pivotal to the success their museums. roles that benefit each individual and on visitor numbers. We will explore ways of Birmingham Museums Trust’s strategy, Birmingham Museums. of trading beyond our current estate, both as direct income and in enhancing AIM 5 / Investing in people our ability to secure funding from other Birmingham Museums Trust is committed including pop-up units and e-commerce. Birmingham Museums Trust has a sources. NPO funding will support the to supporting people working in the We will continue to grow income from growing reputation as an exciting redevelopment of the Museum & Art museums and cultural sector through our existing operations, building on what and innovative place to work, with Gallery and delivery of the new Store staff acting as mentors for Museum we are good at. One of our priorities is to staff going on to senior roles in other though a number of key work strands Accreditation, Associateship of the develop strong brand identities for each organisations. In future, Birmingham from 2018–22. It will also support Museums Association and the Leadership of our cafés, learning from the success of Museums Trust will be the organisation audience development, learning and Development Programme run by Arts the Edwardian Tearooms. Investment in everyone wants on their CV. People who young people’s programmes, income Connect West Midlands, the regional equipment and staffing in 2018 will allow work for us will have the chance to learn generation, workforce development Bridge organisation. us to take more of our food production new ways of working collaboratively, and volunteering. in-house, with a focus on our Heritage entrepreneurially and creatively. We will Sites. This will increase our gross profit Fundraising for investment to support identify the skills we need to deliver this and allow us to develop a food and growth is essential and our strategy aims ten-year plan and find them through beverage operation that responds to build a varied and sustainable portfolio recruitment, training and development. to market trends. Our ambition is to of income streams so that we are no Our NPO-supported workforce develop award-winning, sector-leading longer dependent on a small number of development programme will cultivate cafés and restaurants across the business major sources. Our fundraising priorities rounded individuals, focusing on the and perhaps beyond. are to raise the profile of Birmingham highest standards of customer service, Ten-Year Strategy / SIGNATURE PROJECTS 22/23

We have identified the following key projects. Each contributes to one or more of the priorities. They have been planned Signature with SMART targets: specific, measurable, Signature attainable, realistic and timely. Together rojects they represent an extremely innovative projects p and exciting programme that will grow The Museum for Birmingham: visitor numbers, develop the collection, redevelopment of Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery The Museum for Birmingham will be The redevelopment will deliver better increase trading income and consolidate the first project in the world to reinvent access, improved visitor facilities and a major traditional collection as the around 25% more display space. All Birmingham Museums Trust’s national common, shared heritage of a young, objects will be conserved for display. multicultural city. The Museum will The building will be more sustainable, explore the city’s artistic, scientific with greater energy efficiency and more and international reputation. and industrial heritage using objects, commercial space. Birmingham Museums social oral histories, images and aspects Trust will work with Birmingham City of intangible cultural heritage that Council on a transformational and tell stories – sometimes painful and ambitious redevelopment of the controversial stories – about why and Museum & Art Gallery to create a how people came to Birmingham, and venue of international stature that their experiences of growing up, living delivers improvements across: and working in the city. • visitor experience Through NPO investment in five • displays and interpretation curatorial and conservator posts • public access to collections (including specialisms in Birmingham • collections care history, Middle East and South Asia) we will use our great, multidisciplinary • back of house facilities collection to tell stories that explain • operational costs the history of Birmingham and the • income generation region, their products and people. We will explore the city’s role in the history The capital programme will start in of British Empire, and its impact on the 2019, with part of the Museum & British and on those who were colonised. Art Gallery reopening in time for the New interpretation will be supported Commonwealth Games in 2022 and by academic research developed fully opening in 2024. through our research framework with higher education partners. Community consultation and co-production will underpin the development of new stories that decolonise the collection and connect with Birmingham’s diverse communities. Ten-Year Strategy / SIGNATURE PROJECTS 24/25

The Big Store The first phase of the proposed facility will Bringing the two collections together Birmingham Museum house Birmingham Museums’ curatorial, creates scope to offer professional Birmingham Museums Trust and of Science & Industry conservation and technical functions and services and consultancy to each other Birmingham Royal Ballet propose a project the 40,000 oil paintings and works on and to other organisations. Birmingham We will develop plans for a new that will bring them together to create paper currently stored in the Museum & Museums’ leadership in collections care Birmingham Museum of Science a new type of cultural facility. Sited on Art Gallery. This will make the collection and management and its expertise in & Industry to replace Thinktank as a brownfield site in East Birmingham publicly accessible for the first time. engaging diverse audiences are widely a regional centre for engagement owned by Birmingham City Council, in a Birmingham Museums Trust will build on recognised, while the Ballet brings with STEM. The museum will tell diverse area of multiple deprivation, the its track record of community engagement its heritage of performance and stories not only about scientific and Big Store will be the spearhead of social and audience diversification to create a artistic excellence. engineering discoveries and industrial and economic regeneration. processes, but about their impact vibrant public programme including Other partners who have expressed Both partners have collections of on human cultures and individuals guided tours, digital labs, community interest in taking part in the project international significance. The city’s – about the people who made the exhibitions, schools learning, outreach, include the South Asian Diaspora museum collection is one of the three discoveries, applied them or lived with study sessions, workshops and other Arts Archive (SADAA), the South great civic collections of the UK, alongside the consequences. In showing how formal and informal learning activities, Asian dance company SAMPAD, Liverpool and Glasgow. It consists of the city and region’s past shaped the catering to audiences from parents and Friction Arts, Beatfreeks, Birmingham around 1 million items, currently stored world today the new museum will toddlers to academics. The visitor facilities City University and the University and displayed in nine venues, including the make a major contribution to place- will include a café, play area, and flexible of Birmingham. finest public collection of Pre-Raphaelite learning/performance/exhibition spaces, making and international profile. art in the world, the early history of the generating income and contributing to The co-location of the two collections The new museum will include outdoor Industrial Revolution, and the unique Birmingham Museums Trust’s sustainability. will create a unique and completely spaces for demonstrations, events Staffordshire Hoard. Around 1% of the In addition the new store will become new type of cultural offer, combining and activities, as well as better gallery collection is on display. The rest is stored the headquarters for our developing heritage, visual arts and performing spaces. It will display more of the in the Museum & Art Gallery and in a e-commerce operations. Birmingham arts with community engagement astonishing breadth of Birmingham’s converted warehouse adjacent to the Museums has over a decade of experience and skills development. We know of internationally-significant science and route of HS2. The redevelopment of the of career development for young people no other cultural facility of comparable industry and natural science collection, Museum & Art Gallery as part of a wider from diverse backgrounds, including in scale, scope or ambition in the UK much of which is currently in store. programme of work on the Council STEM (science, technology, engineering, or internationally. The nearest Working closely with higher education House Complex offers the chance to mathematics) subjects. We will work with comparators are the Royal Opera partners, the Science Museum Group move Birmingham Museums’ back of educational partners to expand on this to House facility at Thurrock and the and local businesses, the museum will house functions off-site, freeing space provide apprenticeships, work experience redevelopment of Kelvin Hall tell the story of Birmingham’s place in for commercial development. and volunteering opportunities, creating in Glasgow. the history of scientific, medical and Birmingham Royal Ballet’s production a hub for skills development. A second industrial innovation, and provide a archive dates back to the founding of the phase of the store will accommodate the showcase for the latest discoveries Vic Wells ballet in the 1930s. The archive rest of the collection at a later date. and inventions. It will be an essential is a physical history of the company, As part of Phase 1, Birmingham Royal learning resource for schools, further tracing the design and creation of one Ballet will relocate its collections and and higher education, inspiring future of the largest accumulated repertories some back of house functions. The generations of scientists and in the world. The collection includes new site will offer opportunities to engineers. It will be the museum productions created by important develop the use of the collection beyond where grandparents take their designers and artists from Pablo Picasso performances as a research archive, for grandchildren to show them how to Jasper Conran. It is stored in two exhibitions or as a living resource for Birmingham makes things. warehouses whose leases are about learning, based around the talent, skills to expire. The Ballet has workshops and knowledge that create and realise and technical spaces at its base in the theatrical spectacle of large-scale the Hippodrome complex. The use of ballet. Birmingham Royal Ballet has space is poor and as part of this project an important heritage and its legacy, Birmingham Royal Ballet intends to specialist skills and knowledge should relocate its workshops to the same be preserved, developed and shared site as its storage. as a specialist and a public resource. Ten-Year Strategy / SIGNATURE PROJECTS 26/27

Thinktank, Birmingham manufactures and NPO-funded science the collection, but to upgrade and the collection as part of each capital Science Museum collection research programmes. digitise the supporting documentation. project. Combined with our continued 3. Digital planetarium upgrade and As part of the essential process of learning from community engagement While we are planning for a new Museum inventory before moving the collection, and consultation, this process will related displays, including improved of Science & Industry, we will continue we will reconcile each object with its inform the dynamic management of corporate and public hire spaces. to deliver an ambitious programme of accession record, object file and other the collection in future, including areas major redisplays and improvements 4. New LEGO® Education Innovation documentation, and digitise it. This for rationalisation and acquisition. at Thinktank to increase visitors and Studio, growing the educational means not merely creating digital income. This will ensure Thinktank’s offer: new programmes for early images of the objects themselves, but Digital lab resilience and sustainability during the years and for engaging more young developing a system that will provide Alongside the digitisation of the period of disruption caused by adjacent people and adults, and new displays digital access to the records and archives, collection, we will promote our digital HS2 activities. Thinktank’s development coproduced with higher education which contain essential contextual assets to reach the widest possible programme aims to secure its position as partners to showcase innovation in information. In many cases object audience, making them freely available a leading centre for STEM engagement science, technology and engineering files include primary material, such through open licences. Moving from in the UK, growing science capital in the in Birmingham. as autograph letters or photographs, digital publishers to digital enablers, city and region. Our partners will include which are valuable in their own right 5. Relocation of main entrance, shop we will work in partnership to deliver a Millennium Point Trust, Birmingham City and should be actively curated. It will be and café to improve visitor access/ programme of ‘digital lab’ experiences, University, University of Birmingham, necessary to explore the potential of orientation and grow business, experimenting with different ways of Aston University, local businesses, HS2, the collection database to support this exploring commercial opportunities engaging people with the collection STEAMhouse, Wellcome Trust, the data and the best data structures and with partners including Millennium and our programmes through digital Department for Business Energy and platform for exporting it to a publicly- Point and Birmingham City University’s technologies. We will invite audiences Industrial Strategy, the Science Museum accessible database. NPO funding will Conservatoire. and partners to contribute to this work Group, and the Association of Science enable us to commence this programme, and invest in the infrastructure to and Discovery Centres. starting with the Designated works Collection development, support this way of working. The development programme aims to on paper and topographical views distinguish Thinktank from other UK documentation, research collections, transforming online public Only 2.5% of the collection has been science museums and raise its profile, and rationalisation access to these collections and recruiting digitised and we have no accessible, drawing on Birmingham’s internationally- Birmingham’s great civic collection community volunteers with specialist user-friendly interface for online important collection, its innovation in consists of around 1 million objects backgrounds and interests to help engagement. We will explore the science, technology and engineering – covering almost every possible collection research and document works. best way of exporting data from our collection database to our website, past, present and future – and the city’s area across the four main disciplines of As part of this programme, NPO releasing images and other data into young and diverse communities, who will art and decorative arts, human history, investment in science collections the public domain under an open licence play a central role in the co-production natural science, and science and industry. research and curatorial posts working as modelled by the Rijksmuseum. of new displays and programmes. An The art, decorative art, Birmingham with academic partners (the Natural We will investigate different ways to accompanying four-year programme of history, science and industry and Pinto History Museum and Science Museum support collection searches by non- research into our science collection will collections have been Designated as Group), will enable detailed surveys of specialists, including geographical inform the content for new displays. being of national importance. With the significance of the science & industry referencing and greater access to Thinktank’s development programme exception of the Pre-Raphaelite art, and natural science collections. We will supporting documentation. This will will consist of the following strands: very little of the collection has been engage special interest groups and provide unprecedented levels of 1. MiniBrum: a £2.1 million, 1000m2 systematically researched and published. volunteers to research and catalogue online access to our collection and interactive gallery delivering STEM In addition to the existing Designated 25,000 items by 2022, targeting groups reach local, national and international learning for preschool and early years areas of the collection, there are such as natural history societies, audiences. Online engagement with foundation stage children. One of undoubtedly other areas of national and transport enthusiasts, trade unions and the collection will grow at a point when the first successful projects in the UK international significance, such as the retired industrial workers. These surveys the Museum & Art Gallery is closed for to receive Inspiring Science funding Staffordshire Hoard and Ancient Near will inform planning for documentation redevelopment. By making the stored (Wellcome Trust), the gallery will be East. The current state of documentation upgrade and digitisation, collection collection more accessible online we will co-produced with children, families is a barrier to access to, and use of, rationalisation and future acquisition. promote a wider sense of ownership and and teachers, exploring three themes: the collection by staff, the public and We will complete the Survey of understanding of that collection. academic researchers for collections care creating a future city, children’s Significance of the collection, which will and management, public programming, lives and wellbeing in the city, and for the first time provide a map of all the income generation, personal study and biodiversity in the city. The gallery areas of the collection and associated academic research. will open in 2019. records, including an assessment of their 2. New NPO-funded natural science, The proposed capital projects provide condition, quality and context. This will trades & industries displays drawing an opportunity not only to improve form the basis for planning the staged on research from our Birmingham the physical care of, and access to, digitisation, movement and storage of Heritage Sites Ten-Year Strategy / HERITAGE SITES 28/29 Development Masterplan

We are currently finalising our Heritage Site masterplans. These will enable us to seek investment for the care of the historic fabric and setting, grow visitor numbers and improve financial sustainability. We will build on each venue’s strengths and individuality to broaden the offer, invest NPO funds in the sites with the greatest income generation potential, use resources most wisely and position the sites in relation to other museums, heritage sites and visitor attractions in the region.

Aston Hall is a Grade 1 Listed Jacobean and increased profitability. With the mansion in a public park in the north of support of NPO funding, all core food Birmingham. We will improve and enrich and beverage ranges will be delivered the customer experience to increase in-house from August 2018 and the café dwell time and secondary spend. will develop its own unique identity Visitors will learn the stories of the in line with successes at our other Hall’s complex past and the part it properties. played in the country’s history through Public programming will focus on large- a living history approach. Innovative scale events, building on successes interpretation and animation of the site to date, diversifying visitors and with costumed character volunteers increasing income. These will include our will support this aim. By improving successful Fright Nights and large-scale the care and interpretation of the collaborative festivals. grounds and excavated outbuildings Outside visiting hours, will we will give visitors more to see and continue to grow as a luxury wedding do. We will explore future uses for venue and unique conference space. the gatehouses and more imaginative use of space internally. In May 2018 work will begin on a two-year, NPO- The Museum of the Jewellery Quarter adding value for visiting tourists. This supported project to improve the is a perfectly preserved traditional commercial gallery space creates an interpretation and animation of the jewellery workshop that offers lively, additional income stream for the site space, making connections with local award-winning factory tours all year and innovative thinking around the heritage and establishing Aston Hall round. We will promote the museum use of our event space will further as a ‘must see’ historic house in the to tourists and the group travel market diversify our income. region. As visitor numbers grow we to increase visitors and income. We will To increase the number of visitors will create a higher quality, higher offer new themed tours, commercial art taking a tour of the site, we will use turnover café, contributing to improved exhibitions, and a boutique shopping NPO funding to transform the visitor visitor experience, longer dwell time experience to encourage regular and centre in 2019. We will create a more repeat visitors. aesthetically pleasing and functional The Smith & Pepper Tea Room will reception space which will improve the attract tourists visiting the city’s famous customer journey. It will also increase Jewellery Quarter. We will continue to conversion by offering visitors a glimpse work with local jewellers and artists to of the factory they are about to explore. develop bespoke ranges and create an interactive gift shop with makers-in- residence. We will continue to showcase selling exhibitions in our gallery space with a focus on local artists and makers. This will encourage local residents to make more use of the site while Ten-Year Strategy / HERITAGE SITES 30/31

Blakesley Hall is a traditional timber- in Handsworth was the Our ambition is to broaden local interest framed Tudor farmhouse, one of home of 18th-century Birmingham in this important historic site and ensure the oldest standing buildings in industrialist and entrepreneur Matthew it becomes part of local community Birmingham. At Blakesley, we will Boulton and a regular meeting place heritage. The Soho Coffee House in the increase engagement with local families of the Lunar Society. The restored visitor centre will become a popular in particular. The gardens will host an Georgian house features period room community café and we will encourage events programme based on play and interiors. We will develop Soho House more regular use of the site for outdoor activity. In the Hall we will create with a strong community focus, offering community events and venue hire. a new room for families, to encourage space-sharing opportunities for partners We will raise local awareness of Soho this audience to visit the historic house and community exhibition areas. We will House and encourage local residents to itself, and not just the grounds. We explore alternative ways of interpreting take advantage of its facilities. We will will develop this space in consultation the history of the house and area and grow venue hire income by targeting with local residents during 2018 with new uses for spaces in the house, local and regional businesses and project delivery in 2019. We will use working with local historians and couples seeking a unique wedding our collection to tell the story of the young people. venue on a domestic scale. house and local area and we will refresh interpretation in the Hall and visitor centre, again with a family audience in mind. We will also promote to local businesses as an ideal venue for lunch breaks and a great location for corporate volunteering and away-days.

Sarehole Mill was the childhood trading income at this site and better playground of author JRR Tolkien who cater for local walkers and residents. cited it and nearby Moseley Bog as We will continue to develop our events inspiration for scenes in The Hobbit and programme around popular and relevant includes the ruins of a The Lord of the Rings. We will position themes for the site such as Middle Earth 700-year-old moated medieval manor the Mill as a venue where everyone Weekend and our Baking Experience Days. house belonging to the Dudley family, can enjoy the outdoors and learn Our ambitions for Sarehole Mill include and a Scheduled Ancient Monument, about artisan milling through hands-on development of the grounds to give as well as a visitor centre offering demonstrations. In addition to our better access to the green space around activities and events for families. volunteer Millers, we will bring the the mill pond and provide more for We will seek funding for community museum to life by employing a baker visitors to see and enjoy when they visit archaeology projects to engage in 2020. This, alongside additional the site. Over the next ten years we will multiple generations of local residents NPO-funded investment in equipment develop plans for an engaging art walk with the history of the site and area. and interpretation, will enable us to around the pond, increasing dwell time We will develop a local volunteer demonstrate the full process of turning and providing an even broader facility programme to enable us to open the grain into bread, not to mention cakes for learning and inspiration. site more frequently for local residents, and pizzas! Visiting Sarehole Mill will community groups and schools. become a more immersive, educational and edible experience. We will sell local and ‘baked on site’ food products in our café and shop, complimented by a bespoke retail range, aiming to increase Ten-Year Strategy / HERITAGE SITES 32/33

Contemporary art reinforcing Birmingham Museums Trust’s Museum in Residence Cultural strategy programmes of position as a cultural leader within the Outreach Programme for Birmingham city and region, helping to attract new, national significance younger audiences to the transformed Museum in Residence will be a new Birmingham Museums Trust will work Birmingham Museums Trust will deliver a Museum & Art Gallery. We will work with outreach programme that takes the with Culture Central to create a new programme of high profile contemporary New Art West Midlands and its partners collection out beyond the walls of our cultural strategy for Birmingham that art projects to further develop its profile to continue to promote and support museums to nurseries, schools, libraries, will establish the city’s position as the as a centre for contemporary art. artistic talent from the region. health centres, prisons, care homes and biggest centre of cultural provision in the community venues in diverse areas of UK outside London. We will ensure that We will deliver the final year of the Arts multiple deprivation within Birmingham. heritage and science are acknowledged Council Collection National Partners Touring exhibitions The programme will focus on providing in the strategy as vital components of Programme, our largest and most We plan a rolling programme of national enrichment and wellbeing activities for human culture. The strategy will include ambitious programme of modern and and international touring exhibitions, children, young people and isolated a vibrant programme of cultural festivals contemporary art to date. Through raising the profile of Birmingham’s civic adults in marginalised communities, including a biennial Heritage Week, and a dynamic programme of critically museum collection and generating new seeking to include not only those will specify external targets to aspire to, acclaimed exhibitions, commissions and income. They include Victorian Radicals, with protected characteristics, but such as attracting the Turner Prize or City artist interventions we will showcase Birmingham Museums’ most ambitious people who are excluded by class and of Culture. the Arts Council Collection alongside the international touring exhibition to date. geography. The outputs of a Museum city’s collection across four of our venues It will show 2D and 3D art by the Pre- in Residence project for participants Taught courses and degrees and through touring exhibitions. We will Raphaelites and their followers at eight will include a range of cultural activities, develop an ambitious and experimental venues across North America in 2018–21, the creation of their own work in The nature of museums is changing accompanying learning programme co-organised with the American a variety of media, or co-curated and there is a need for creative and demonstrating best practice in engaging Federation of Arts. displays in community settings. The innovative leaders in museum practice. young and diverse audiences with In 2016, Birmingham City University Birmingham Museums will contribute to outreach programme will be timed contemporary art. and Birmingham Museums Trust jointly a major exhibition in Japan in 2019–21, to maximise opportunities to engage launched a unique, practice-based Through a partnership with the South based on works by Turner, Ruskin, vulnerable people during the period of postgraduate course which responds Asian Diaspora Arts Archive, Culture Rossetti, Morris and Burne-Jones. We are redevelopment of the Museum & Art to the growing need for museum Central and the British Council, we exploring the potential for international Gallery and the creation of the Big Store. professionals to be multiskilled and will deliver a three-year project during touring with the English Civic Museums commercially aware, offering project 2018–21 re-presenting and re-imagining Network, sharing expertise, raising the Groups and travel trade experience and skills development in contemporary combined arts practice profile of English regional collections We will create a project to attract a new real museum roles. We will look for between Birmingham, Pakistan and and generating income. We are exploring offer for groups and the travel trade. ways of expanding taught courses, Bangladesh. Through artist residencies a potential tour with a performing This will market the experiences offered attracting more international students and collaborations the project aims arts partner, using the ACE Strategic by Birmingham’s museums as special and providing a valuable, annual to connect Birmingham’s South Asian Touring fund. ‘behind the scenes’ exclusives, giving a diaspora and wider communities with cohort of students undertaking project In tandem with our plans to digitise our sense of enhanced value. The project the cultural and artistic heritage of South placements which further support nationally-significant works on paper will include the creation of a central Asia, helping to position Birmingham Birmingham Museums Trust’s strategic collection, we will use NPO funding to booking system and sales procedures, as the UK’s lead city for contemporary programmes. We will explore how we commission a guest curator to research and an account management approach South Asian arts. can use existing course content for and develop an exhibition drawn to our relationships with travel trade wider, income generating programmes Alongside the closure, development from our major 19th-century British customers. A tactical marketing plan including summer schools and national/ and reopening of Birmingham Museum watercolours collection, targeting will be designed to increase awareness international consultancy. & Art Gallery, Birmingham Museums potential touring exhibition agencies in of Birmingham Museums’ groups offer, We will promote the use of Birmingham’s will develop a programme of high Japan and East Asia. We will tour from grow tourist visits and increase income. internationally-significant collection profile art commissions by leading 2022 to a target six venues, publishing as a resource for research leading to contemporary artists, in response to the research, generating around £150k the city, the collection and the Grade II* income and incorporating the exhibition peer-reviewed publication, including Listed Building. The commissions will content into displays in the new Museum collaborative doctorates. bring world-class artists to Birmingham, & Art Gallery. Ten-Year Strategy / TIMELINE 34/35

2018 May – Sept Dippy on Tour exhibition, Museum & Art Gallery

2019 Feb MiniBrum opens at Thinktank

2019 Jan – May Final Arts Council Collection exhibition, Museum & Art Gallery

2019 Feb – May Exhibition of drawings by Leonardo da Vinci, Museum & Art Gallery

2019 Jun – Sept Home of Metal exhibition, Museum & Art Gallery

2019 Oct Exhibitions Museum & Art Gallery closes for refurbishment 2019 – 2020 James Watt Bicentenary redisplays, Thinktank, Aston Hall, Soho House

2018 – 2021 Victorian Radicals touring exhibition, eight venue North American tour

and tours 2019 – 2021 Parabola of Pre-Raphaelitism touring exhibition, three venue Japan tour

2020 – 2022 Nature Explorers and Manufactures redisplays, Thinktank

2022 Museum & Art Gallery reopens (Council House galleries)

2020 – 2023 Treasures exhibition during Museum & Art Gallery closure, Aston Hall (tbc)

2024 Museum & Art Gallery reopens (Feeney galleries)

External events 2022 Commonwealth Games

2026 HS2 Curzon Street Station opens

Boy with the Flag, 1970 © Vanley Burke. From the Birmingham Museums Trust collection. Page 04. For more information visit birminghammuseums.org.uk Contact us / 0121 348 8000 [email protected] Registered Charity Number: 1147014

Birmingham Museums Trust (BMT) is a UK registered charity (charity registration number: 1147014), with charitable objectives; to advance education by the operation, maintenance, development and promotion of museums, galleries and libraries in Birmingham, together with associated facilities and related programmes of outreach and research, fostering knowledge and understanding, appreciation and enjoyment of the arts, history, science and technology by residents and visitors to the City of Birmingham.