news 2 | 2004 NEWSLETTER OF THE NETWORK OF EUROPEAN MUSEUM ORGANISATIONS 3 Taking culture forward The EC hopes the replacement for the Culture Moving in the right direction 2000 programme will be better coordinated and more focused If the public is to have better access to Europe’s cultural heritage, measures to help make moving artefacts between countries easier need to be successful 5 Stopping the traffic Efforts are being made to combat the smuggling of cultural artefacts in Europe, but more needs to be done to stem the flow 7 New faces at the EU Ján Figel is echnical Services among a number of recent senior appointments at the EU with responsibility for museums Photos: Jean Horsfall/Momart T ON THE MOVE: THE UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TROPHY AT THE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY IN MANCHESTER (LEFT) AND A SCULPTURE FROM THE NY CARLSBERG GLYPTOTEK IN COPENHAGEN BEING INSTALLED AT THE ROYAL ACADEMY OF ARTS IN LONDON (RIGHT) 12 Latvia Museums in Latvia have been he Dutch Presidency of the European audiences as possible and the conference in the adapting to a host T Union has made a strong plea for Netherlands highlighted an abundance of of changes since further European support for the initiatives. These ranged from the loan of objects the new EU state mobility of museum collections. On 28-29 of Slovakian gothic art held in foreign collections broke away from October the Netherlands hosted Museum to an exhibition in the Slovakian National Gallery the Soviet Union in 1991 Collections on the Move, an international to the creation of satellite museums, such as the conference that brought together stakeholders new Centre Pompidou in Metz, France, the from old and new member states. They discussed Rijksmuseum’s Golden Box at Amsterdam's a range of policies and best practices that will lead Schiphol Airport, and the plan by Madrid’s Prado the way to greater public access to Europe's Museum to establish independent branches in all cultural heritage. Spanish provinces. The results of the conference are going to be ‘Collection mobility is not something that needs studied by a working party and will be used to help to be instigated, it is something that needs to be develop the European cultural agenda (see page contained,’ says Steven Engelsman, the director 3 on Culture 2007). The UK, which will hold the of the National Museum of Ethnography in presidency from July 2005 onwards, supports the Leiden, the Netherlands. ‘We need to do it better, issue. Nigel Pittman, the head of the museums for better-defined purposes and more efficiently.’ and cultural property division of the Department The main hurdle to be overcome seems to be for Culture, Media and Sport in the UK, confirmed the variety of loan agreements and lending that the mobility of collections is very much at the protocols that currently exist in Europe. The top of the agenda: ‘We will formulate what we European Commission (EC) has made a start by need to do in close cooperation with our Dutch issuing a study into European state indemnity colleagues,’ Pittman says. schemes (see page 9). The desire for one The European museum sector works hard to European indemnity scheme was discussed make its collections accessible to as many extensively at the conference. But Harald M 2 news Hartung, the head of the Culture Unit of the EC’s Directorate General for Education and Culture, dashed this hope: ‘For the time being, there are no funds available for a European The Network of European Museum indemnity scheme, but the commission will dam Organisations (NEMO) is an independent follow the issue very closely. In our view, a code network representing the European of conduct and a code of best practice would museum community be the best things to do.’ NEMO is made up of museum NEMO will be invited to take the next step associations and similar professional towards setting a European standard on loan organisations within the European Union agreements. Museum Collections on the Move Photo: Rijksmuseum Amster (EU), as well as representatives from the commended NEMO as the main representative countries associated with the EU of the European museum profession and step further and aim for TAKING A TRIP: MOVING REMBRANDT’S NIGHTWATCH For more information about NEMO, visit: therefore felt the network is ideally placed to non-insurance www.ne-mo.org facilitate a working party to compare all existing agreements. ‘Why AT AMSTERDAM’S agreements and look into the possibilities of insure if an object of RIJKSMUSEUM, WHICH HAS For local NEMO contacts, visit: creating such a standard. cultural heritage is PROPOSED NON-INSURANCE www.ne-mo.org/members.html Perhaps of even more importance, to ensure irreplaceable anyhow?’ AGREEMENTS FOR LOANS better use and a greater exposure for Europe's A major inquiry into cultural assets, is less competition and collections and collecting, undertaken this year news formality among museum professionals. Much by the Museums Association (MA) in the UK, can be learned from the example of natural has raised issues that will have resonance for history museums. ‘For us, loans are very the rest of Europe. important,’ says Christina Hallmark, the ‘It is clear that if museums are going to NEMO News is produced by the director of the Museum of Natural History in respond effectively to the challenges they Museums Association in the UK Stockholm, Sweden. ‘We perceive our currently face, they will need to work together collections as part of the global scientific better,’ says Helen Wilkinson, the policy officer Editor: Anita van Mil community. Objects sent out on loan come at the MA. Groups of museums with related Email: [email protected] back with added value because they have collections should come together as networks been researched by other scientists.’ to address problems of collection Sub-editors: Helen Gooding, Simon Stephens The Stockholm museum doesn't charge loan management, curatorial expertise and the fees, which ties in with the Bizot principles, a under-use of collections in storage. In some Contributors: Manus Brinkman, Rob set of guidelines issued in 1995 by the cases it will be appropriate for the networks to Davies, Stephanie Gilles, David Haworth, International Group of Organisers of Large- develop international links. Henrietta Hopkins, Jane Morris, Gemma scale Exhibitions. Museums endorsing these The MA hopes this kind of collaboration will Robinson, Jaana Rytkönen, Jutta principles agree to exchange works of art make it easier to make museum collections a Thinesse-Demel, Anja-Tuulikki Huovinen without charging unreasonable costs. The single, shared resource, a concept that worked costs of insurance against loss or depreciation for the Dutch. The Collectie Nederland covers Design: Hannu Rinne are ideally met by a state indemnity scheme. all cultural heritage collections looked after by ‘We must stop stealing from each other,’ museums, archives and libraries with the help Picture research: Karin Mueller says Ronald de of public funding. ‘It has broken down barriers Printer: Simpson Drewett and Co Ltd BEST PRACTICE: NATURAL Leeuw, the director among collection managers in the Netherlands HISTORY MUSEUMS IN EUROPE, of the Rijksmuseum, and has enabled us to pool knowledge about NEMO News is also available in pdf INCLUDING THE ONE IN Amsterdam. His preservation and collection management,’ says format at www.ne-mo.org/news.html LONDON (PICTURED), HAVE A organisation Antoinette Visser, the head of consultancy at GOOD RECORD OF COOPERATION proposed to take the the Netherlands Institute for Cultural Heritage. OVER LOANS Bizot guidelines one ‘And it has also enhanced the visibility of our With the support of the cultural heritage.’ European Community A European collection seems to be a long budget line ‘Support to way from being a workable reality though. In an organisations who promote expanded Europe, fostering stronger European culture’ relationships between colleagues through professional networks seems to be what is needed most. In the words of Medy van der Laan, the Dutch secretary of state for culture: The opinions expressed in this ‘You're more likely to lend your car to a person newsletter do not necessarily you know, than to a complete stranger.’ I reflect the position of the European By | Anita van Mil Community Photo: Natural History Museum, London www.museumcollectionsonthemove.org Nemonews is published twice a year Letter from the NEMO chairwoman The European Commission’s (EC) proposal for the new Cultural are close to the public and to Programme for the years 2007-2013 aims to support the objectives of the diversity at a grassroots level, European Union (EU). It is designed to establish a common cultural area from where the most innovative and to promote the development of a European identity, while respecting ideas are often generated. the diversity of cultures in Europe. Networks such as NEMO are important channels for cultural Although it may not always be easy to find a balance between organisations in Europe. Culture 2007 acknowledges explicitly the value ‘diversity’ and a ‘common cultural area’, it is important that the EU of cultural networks. They are innovators, messengers of our common supports regional cultures and languages at the same time as it heritage, as well as representatives of cultural diversity. By their very underlines common roots. Europe’s strength is its tolerance and respect nature, international networks have little opportunity to raise money at a for individual cultures; that is the legacy of Roman Antiquity for Europe. national level. They are open to all, not exclusive. To allow more effective Diversity is the basis of European heritage and should get special results of long-term planning, networks need longer-term commitment attention in the EU’s programmes. We need to familiarise ourselves with from the EU, instead of annual grants.