Distributed National Burns Collections Project SCO PING STU D Y April 2004 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3 2 SCOPING STUDY DEFINITION 13 3 MAPPING SCOTLAND’S BURNS COLLECTIONS 19 4 MANAGING COLLECTIONS 25 5 CAPACITY 39 6 ACCESS 48 7 LEARNING FROM COLLECTIONS 54 8 MARKETING AND EVENTS 61 9 RECOMMENDATIONS 68 10 APPENDICES 70 Report Published by Burns National Heritage Park On behalf of the Distributed National Burns Collection Project A Strategic Change Fund Project, supported by the Scottish Executive and the Scottish Museums Council Report Author: David Hopes, National Burns Collection Project Officer Contacts Nat Edwards, Chair, National Burns Collection Project National Library of Scotland George IV Bridge Edinburgh EH1 1EW e-mail [email protected] David Hopes National Burns Collection Project Officer Irvine Burns Club Wellwood 28 Eglinton Street Irvine KA12 8AS e-mail [email protected] Burns National Heritage Park Burns Cottage Alloway KA7 4PY e-mail [email protected] supported by the Scottish Museums Council Executive Summary 1 Executive Summary This study has revealed the richness and diversity of collections relating to Robert Burns distributed throughout Scotland. As a decentralised national collection at the heart of many communities in Central and Southern Scotland, this unique collection is a valued part of our local and national identity. The study has uncovered the variety of organisations working to preserve and promote Burns heritage and raises the strategic importance of working together to safeguard and enjoy Scotland’s Burns collections. The study has also identified a fundamental paradox between significance and support in the distributed collections: findings reveal strategic gaps in expertise and resources in key areas of the national collection. Targeted assistance is needed to preserve collections and facilitate access in order to unlock the learning potential of the national collection. In keeping with the distributed nature of the collection, capacity is lacking at a local level and it is here that the report recommends sustainable change takes place. Mapping Scotland’s Burns Collections Key Findings Conclusions: • There are 36, 326 objects in the • Distribution. This survey highlights distributed collections the decentralised nature of • 3.2% of the distributed collection significant Burns collections are Category 11 objects nationwide. Both in terms of object • 1.6% of the distributed collection numbers and the degree of are Category 22 objects relative significance, Burns • 95.2% of the distributed collection collections are spread across the are Category 33 objects Central Belt and South of • The largest single portion of Scotland, and are cared for by a Scotland’s Burns collections are diverse group of organisations. held by local authorities (46%) Independently funded and • 53% of the most significant managed organisations are objects (Category 1 collections) custodians of the lion’s share of are cared for by the independent the most important material sector relating to Burns. Local authority • 84% of museum collections - and organisations are keepers of large 89% of Category 1 artefacts - are quantities of Category 2 and cared for by registered museums Category 3 material. Libraries and • By distribution, the largest unregistered museums hold 66% conglomeration of DNBC of the DNBC. There therefore collections is in Edinburgh and seems to be an imbalance in the Lothians (32%), and the greatest responsibility of care for significant proportion of Category 1 material material between relatively under- is in South Ayrshire (38%) resourced local organisations and centrally funded national • The most significant single organisations. collection is held by Burns Cottage Museum in Alloway (35% of • Object significance. Reviewing DNBC Category 1) figures for Category 2 and 3 material reveals several issues. The strict criteria set for Category 2 and the variable nature of documentation makes it difficult to identify material contemporary to Burns which illustrates his life in some way. A survey, given more 1 Category 1: material used or created by Robert time, would undoubtedly unearth Burns; publications or artwork by or of Burns during his lifetime (1759-96) many more objects but given that 2 Category 2: material used or created by family or this material may not be itemised contemporaries of Burns which in some way provides in a Burns-centred manner reveals insight into the life of Burns the difficulty of a truly 3 Category 3: material other than Categories 1 and 2 with a Burns connection including significant material comprehensive search. Also, the produced after Burns’ death broad criteria set for Category 3 3 Executive Summary material means that this Category necessitates a more versatile and contains highly significant objects collaborative approach to as well as ephemera and a large collections stewardship. Given the number of objects of low high proportion of registered significance. For instance, further museums in the study, a subdivision is needed to identify programme to encourage the 16% highly significant artworks and of unregistered museums to work rare books included with a range towards accreditation would be of other less significant material. provident. Partnerships between Any future resourcing of Burns organisations at local levels collections should also look at the should be given a high priority for long term research or display use any central support. Given the of much of Category 3 and geographical concentration of consider the distributed collection collections in the contiguous as a whole for possible regions of Ayrshire and Dumfries rationalisation. and Galloway, a local hub and • Premises and built heritage. By strong support network would offer focusing attention solely on a mechanism for long term portable artefacts, the scope of collections care. Burns heritage is incomplete. • Collection needs. Given the risks There are a large number of posed by the age of many historic buildings and monuments artefacts, the predominance of that form an important part of sensitive paper material, limited Scotland’s Burns heritage and local conservation capacity and a which provide an essential and long history of display, the unique context for the National distributed collection requires Burns Collection. A systematic special attention. Designation of survey to document and digitise the most important material and a Burns-related premises and built conservation plan for Category 1 heritage is needed to complement objects is urgently needed. this study. • Partnerships. The distribution of the national collection not only across sectors and domains Managing Collections Key Findings: • 96.6% of the distributed collection have considerably outdated is documented to a basic level valuations on significant Burns • 30% of records are maintained material using only manual methods of • For many independent collections, documentation objects are deliberately • 37% of records are held in a undervalued to reduce the variety of formats which militate insurance premium. There is a against data sharing between direct effect on the lending of organisations objects as a result of under- • 33% of records are in a format valuation and failure to assess which have the potential to be risk. web- based or otherwise easily • Risk assessment has only been shared carried out for 8.4% of the DNBC • 4% of the distributed collection • 33% of independent sector and has been recorded as digital 60% of local authority images by only 5 sample organisations have carried out organisations. Approximately 99% condition assessments to Burns of digital images are the result of collections in the past 3 years SCRAN projects • 46% of the most significant • 7.3% of the most significant Burns material in the DNBC is kept in material in Scotland is uninsured environments which have below and 4 local authority collections 4 Executive Summary basic standard control equipment backlogs and upload data to a and inadequate monitoring plans fully computerised system. For all • 66% of independent collections, organisations digitisation of the 37% of local authority, and 6.6% distributed collection needs a of national collections are combination of staffing and presently on display (or for equipment, and an improvement libraries are directly accessible) to in the awareness of ownership the public issues. • 61% of the most significant • Another major challenge for the material in the distributed distributed collection is security. collection is presently on display The scoping study has shown that or is directly accessible to the local authority and independent public sector organisations lag far behind • Storage location, size and the national sector in assessing conditions are least suitable in the the condition of collections and independent sector; 60% of measuring risk. In the absence of organisations consider their government indemnity, the storage capacity to be inadequate, tendency among the independent and 80% of independent and local authority sectors has organisations score basic or below either been to undervalue basic for storage environment collections, restrict the movement • Only 3 Burns objects are currently of objects, or not cover collections on loan between institutions and at all. Since the most significant there is only 1 exhibition collections are held the sector changeover planned during 2004 least able to pay adequate • Of 25 organisations only one has premiums on insurance cover, the an acquisitions