2018 annual report 1 AMaGA Victoria Contents About Australian Museums and Galleries Association Victoria About the Australian Museums and Galleries Association Victoria ......................................................2 Mission: Enabling museums and their Treasurer’s Report ..................................................................................................................................3 President’s Report ..................................................................................................................................4 people to develop their capacity to inspire Executive Director’s Report ................................................................................................................ 5-6 and engage their communities. Management ....................................................................................................................................... 7-8 Awards, Forum and Events .............................................................................................................. 9-10 Statement of Purpose Membership Forum in Melbourne. Both are curated to Communications ...................................................................................................................................11 Australian Museums and Galleries AMaGA Victoria represents approximately appeal to a broad audience, from large Association Victoria, provides professional one third of AMaGA’s total membership. It State institutions to small volunteer-run INSITE ...................................................................................................................................................12 services to develop and sustain the roles represents the Victorian members and organisations. In 2018 we hosted the Exhibition Services ..............................................................................................................................13 and interests of museum communities provides services for them and for the Australian Museums and Galleries across Victoria. museum and gallery community regardless National Conference ‘Agents of Change’ at Museum Accreditation Program ..........................................................................................................14 of membership status. At the end of the historic former Meat Market in North The Australian Museums and Galleries Victorian Collections ....................................................................................................................... 15-16 December 2018, it included 239 Melbourne, drawing over 518 delegates Association Victoria provides: organisations spanning archives, art from around the country and AMaGA National Conference .......................................................................................................... 17-18 • Expert advice on museum practice and galleries, botanic gardens, historical internationally. Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ 19-22 development. societies, natural and social history museums, and specialist collections. At Awards • The Roving Curator Program, which helps Since 1994, we have recognised the Financial Reports ........................................................................................................................... 23-25 museums and galleries develop engaging the end of 2018, we had 295 individual members, most of whom are working achievements of museum individuals and and dynamic exhibitions. organisations at the annual Victorian • Accreditation and application of the either professionally or voluntarily in museums and galleries. Museum Awards. The Awards are peer- National Standards for Australian Museums reviewed and celebrate the hard work of and Galleries. Our key services include: staff and volunteers in creating a vibrant • Victorian Collections, a central online sector. The Awards are proudly sponsored portal to the cultural treasures held by Events and On-site Training by a range of industry and cultural museums, galleries, and other We offered 146 events and on-site training supporters. organisations distributed across the State. ranging from exclusive viewings to • Professional development. lectures, seminars, workshops, and Exhibition Services • Advocacy and profile raising of the masterclasses catering to beginner, Our Exhibition Services Manager delivers Victorian museum sector. mid-level, and expert museum staff and advice, professional development and the volunteers. We cross-reference our Roving Curator Program, which provides Values program with participant feedback and our small museums and galleries with • Recognising that museums and galleries matrix of museum and individual types to exhibition development assistance. occupy a vital place in the community. offer a balanced program. • Recognising the contributions of our INSITE members to the sector. Victorian Collections Our stimulating and informative member • Supporting access to and the care of the A free online cataloguing system created magazine, published four times a year, is Distributed National Collection. especially for community collecting sent directly to members with the latest • Recognising and celebrating diversity organisations and small museums in news on Victorian museums and galleries, including Indigenous cultural heritage. Victoria. Introductory workshops in sector events and topics. Contents listings • Recognising the importance of being a collection management, cataloguing, for each issue are available online: forum for ideas. object handling, and photography are held www.amagavic.org.au/insite/editions • Upholding the highest ethical professional throughout the year. Browse items on standards. Victorian Collections here: Communications & Resources www.victoriancollections.net.au The weekly e-bulletin and AMaGA Victoria Background website offer a range of up-to-date In November 2018, Museums Australia Museum Accreditation Program museum sector information and re-branded as the Australian Museums At the end of 2018, there were 90 resources. Online training tools include and Galleries Association. The Australian museums participating in our gold- training videos on museum best practice Museums and Galleries Association standard Museum Accreditation Program, and selected seminar presentations. Victoria (AMaGA Victoria) is the state a wholistic, peer-supported model of Special disaster response areas of the branch of the Australian Museums and excellence developed according to the website are available for affected Galleries Association, a not-for-profit National Standards for Australian Museums communities when required. national membership association founded and Galleries. The Program enables strong in 1993 to bring together people concerned mentoring between museums and The AMaGA Victoria office is housed on the with the care and communication of museum experts to share best practice, lower ground floor of Melbourne Museum. Australia’s natural, artistic, and cultural upskill museum staff and volunteers, and Members enjoy easy access to services heritage. Through the direction of an raise the profile of participating museums. and staff. AMaGA Victoria is grateful for elected Committee, the Victorian branch this generous ongoing support from provides support, representation, and Conference and Forum Museums Victoria. professional development services to the The Victorian Museums & Galleries museum and gallery sector throughout the Conference takes place every other year in State. regional Victoria, alternating with our 2 AMaGA Victoria Annual Report 2018 / amagavic.org.au 3 Treasurer’s Report President’s Report Firstly I want to thank Laura Miles (former Finance Commentary Future Challenges Every year we reflect on how Jobs. The Museum Accreditation Program and sponsors. Thanks to everyone for their Executive Director) and Tammy Currie who The twelve months ended 31 December Through 2019 there will be some additional extraordinarily busy we have been – more continued its work as a relied-upon source contribution to a hugely successful event supplies our bookkeeping and financial 2018 produced a modest surplus of $395. re-branding costs brought about through so than the year before. We also take this of advice and support for museums across which really showcased the quality and service, for their excellent support to me in This is on-trend with a break-even result in the move to the new name and brand opportunity to celebrate our the state striving to continuously improve diversity of the Victorian sector to our the role of Treasurer. Information was the previous four years and in line with the artwork. These are being rolled out accomplishments and thank all those who their practice for their visitors and national and international peers. always supplied in a timely and effective nature of our not-for-profit style progressively. The Board is also doing have helped us achieve our goals in collections. Our networking program of manner which is important given that most operations. some reviews/benchmarking of labour support of our members. events offered drinks, tours, conversations Thank you to our supporters and donors of my interaction with the accounts are via costs so that future grants can have a and connections. who enabled our work in 2018: Veterans email or remote (Bendigo) communication. Total expenses for the year were $812,593 suitable level of salaries allowed for when