Accreditation Guidance
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Supporting Guidance for Accreditation Standard November 2018 Accreditation Guidance March 2019 Contents Managing Collections Guidance notes for Accreditation Getting Started Standard requirements 4-6 Introduction ....................................... 3 Managing Collections ..................... 42 How to apply: a step by step Users and their Experiences guide for first time applicants .......... 4 Guidance notes for Accreditation Standard requirements 7-9 Step 1 Check if your museum is Users and their Experiences ............ 60 eligible for Accreditation ...... 6 • What questions to expect ................... 6 Next Steps • Are you ready to complete your eligibility questionnaire? ..................... 9 How your application is assessed .. 79 • Submitting your eligibility • New applicants ............................... 79 questionnaire ................................... 10 • Accreditation returns ....................... 79 • Assessment ...................................... 10 • Returns deadlines ............................ 79 • Working Towards Accreditation ........ 10 The assessment process .................... 80 • If you’re not eligible ......................... 10 What types of assessment are there? ......................................... 81 Step 2 Decide on the size and Who makes the award decision? .... 82 type of your museum .......... 11 What are the possible decisions • Independent museum indicators ..... 12 that panels can make? ..................... 82 • Local authority museum indicators .. 13 How long does it take? .................... 85 • University museum indicators .......... 14 • National museums .......................... 15 Your award letter ............................. 85 • Nationally-styled museums .............. 15 How long does the award last? ....... 85 Promoting your award ..................... 86 Step 3 Make your Accreditation What to do if you’re experiencing application ........................... 16 significant change ............................ 86 • Completing the application form ...... 16 Financially-motivated disposals ....... 87 • Multi-site services ............................. 16 Hosted museums ............................. 87 • National museum authorities ............ 17 What to do if you no longer • Evidence of approval ........................ 17 wish to participate ........................... 87 • Getting help ..................................... 18 Terms and conditions ....................... 88 Feedback and complaints ................ 88 Organisational Health Freedom of information and Guidance notes for Accreditation data protection ................................ 89 Standard requirements 1-3 Review ............................................... 89 Organisational Health ..................... 20 2 Getting started Introduction The Accreditation Scheme is the UK industry standard for museums and galleries. It helps everyone involved with a museum to do the right things, helping people to access and Getting Started engage with collections, and protect them for future generations. The Accreditation Scheme does this by making sure museums manage their collections properly, engage with visitors, and are governed appropriately by encouraging all museums and galleries to meet an agreed standard in: • How they’re run • How they manage their collections Organisational Health Organisational • How they engage with their users The Accreditation Scheme is run for museums and galleries of all sizes and types across the UK. It is managed as a UK Partnership between Arts Council England, the Welsh Government, Museums Galleries Scotland and the Northern Ireland Museums Council. Our shared commitment and UK reach gives Accreditation greater impact and cohesion. The scheme has Managing Collections led the way in raising museum standards in the UK and has been used as a model and source of inspiration for similar schemes overseas. The guidance notes that follow will provide practical information on how to complete the Accreditation form, whether you’re applying for the first time or making an Accreditation return. It will provide links to support and advice to help you, and information on how we’ll assess your & Experiences Users museum against the Accreditation Standard. Next Steps 3 Getting started How to apply: a step by step guide for first time applicants There are three steps to completing an application for Accreditation if your museum Getting Started is not already participating in the Scheme. England Arts Council England If you are a new applicant, you will need to: https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/supporting- arts-museums-and-libraries/museums- accreditation-scheme Step 1 Check if your museum is eligible The Isle of Man and for Accreditation Channel Islands See pages 6-10 Arts Council England Organisational Health Organisational Eligibility questionnaires are reviewed https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/supporting- by Arts Council England in consultation arts-museums-and-libraries/museums- with Museum Development providers accreditation-scheme in England, the Welsh Government, Museums Galleries Scotland and Northern Northern Ireland Ireland Museums Council for museums Northern Ireland in each respective country. Museums Council You’ll need to complete the eligibility https://www.nimc.co.uk/ questionnaire (available to download Managing Collections from the website of your assessing Scotland organisation) and return it with the Museums Galleries Scotland relevant documents to: https://www.museumsgalleriesscotland.org. uk/ Wales The Welsh Government https://gov.wales/topics/culture-tourism- & Experiences Users sport/museums-archives-libraries/?lang=en Next Steps 4 Getting started If your museum has been confirmed in writing Step 3 as eligible to apply for Accreditation, you can Make your application then move on to the rest of the Accreditation Standard requirements: Once you’ve decided on your size and type, you’ll need to read the relevant notes for each section of the standard, so that you Getting Started know what evidence you need to gather to Step 2 make your application for Accreditation. Decide on the size and type of your museum See pages 20 to 41 for guidance notes on the Accreditation Standard requirements The Accreditation Scheme is run for 1-3 – Organisational Health. museums of all sizes and types: from the smallest volunteer-run museums to national See pages 42 to 59 for guidance notes museums, but it’s not ‘one size fits all’. on the Accreditation Standard requirements To ensure that we assess your application 4-6 – Managing Collections. according to your museum’s size and type Health Organisational See pages 60 to 78 for guidance notes you first need to compare your museum on the Accreditation Standard requirements against the size and type indicators. 7-9 – Users and their Experiences. See pages 11 to 15 for guidance notes Complete the online application on size and type. form attaching all relevant required documentation. The online application portal is hosted by Arts Council England on behalf of the UK Accreditation Partners and you’ll find links to the new Managing Collections application form, guidance on how to get started and technical advice on the Arts Council website. Users & Experiences Users Next Steps 5 Getting started Step 1 Check if your museum is eligible for Accreditation What questions to expect Q1 Is the museum based in the UK, Getting Started To be eligible to apply to the Accreditation Isle of Man or Channel Islands? Scheme you must be able to answer ‘yes’ to We will ask for the address and contact details questions 1-6. of your organisation, so we’re able to contact The following types of organisations will not you regarding your application and to check the normally be considered eligible: museum is eligible to participate in the scheme based on its location. • Privately owned museums and historic houses • Commercial galleries • Science centres Q2 Does it meet the agreed • Natural and archaeological sites, historical definition of a museum? Health Organisational and industrial buildings, sites, monuments ‘Museums enable people to explore collections and heritage centres without associated for inspiration, learning and enjoyment. They long-term collections are institutions that collect, safeguard and make • Institutions displaying live specimens, for accessible artefacts and specimens, which they example zoos and botanical gardens hold in trust for society.’ • Educational loan services You’ll be asked to confirm that your museum • Venues for temporary exhibitions without meets the Museums Association definition (1998). long-term collections on display Managing Collections • Record centres Q3 Is the museum a physical site/ • Libraries and archives including sound, space/building which is open to the film and photographic archives public regularly? • Virtual museums You’ll be asked for the name and address Accreditation is awarded to individual museum of your museum, opening hours and website venues (a physical site/space/building) rather (if you have one). than to collections or services. To apply for the Scheme for the first time & Experiences Users or re-apply after a period of non-participation, Q4 Are the public able to see your organisation must meet the following and engage with the museum’s criteria: collections? This section is for you to expand on your answer to question two – to outline how your organisation fulfils its public purpose. Next Steps 6 Getting started Q5 Does the museum have an It’s important to know what type your museum