Welcome to your August Newsletter!
|
|
|
|
The summer holidays are in full swing, so in this newsletter we thought we'd reflect on the last academic year and how our Talking Nature grant awardees are using their natural history collections to raise environmental awareness amongst school aged children.
In this issue you can also find out how to get involved in our Volunteering Fit for the Future programme which will be reopening for applications on Monday 1 September, and we're introducing our new Cornwall Museum Development Officer. We also have all your favourite regular content such as sector news and new grants.
|
|
|
In October 2024 we awarded seven Talking Nature grants to support museum partnerships with local schools, using natural science collections to explore the natural world and climate crisis. Our Talking Nature grant recipients are now over halfway through their projects, so we thought we’d check in with some of them on how they are getting on and what they are learning along the way. |
|
|
|
Weston Museum has been supporting two local schools to engage with the climate crisis through school nature days. Yate Heritage Centre held a preview on 8 July for their new mixed media exhibition, ‘Rewilding Yate’, a showcase of young artists imagining a greener future. The New Forest Heritage Centre has increased the scope of their project, encouraging both collaborative and independent learning, which the heritage centre has learned from their experience of working with home educator groups earlier this year. The Brickworks Museum worked a with local ecological research company to co-deliver sessions to a KS4 class from a SEN school in Winchester. Read the full blog on our website to learn more about the Talking Nature grants and the impact of the funded projects. |
|
|
Our latest grant opportunity, round 2 of the Capacity Builder grants, will launch on Monday 1 September. Full details will be announced in our September newsletter, but in the meantime you can find out more on our website. |
|
|
|
Volunteering Fit for the Future
|
|
|
Volunteering Fit for the Future is launching again on Monday 1 September! The 2025 - 26 programme will run from October 2025 to March 2026. Volunteering Fit for the Future supports museums to review the way they welcome and involve volunteers. Through a 1-1 meeting with our Sustainable Volunteering Officer, guidance from their Museum Development Officer and peer support from other museums at drop-in surgery sessions, museums will work towards an action plan and have the opportunity to apply for funding for their museum of up to £1500 towards making tangible improvements.
|
|
|
To be considered for one of the 12 available places on the programme, museums need to attend a briefing on Thursday 18 September. This briefing will take place during a SW Museum Skills session: Foundations of Volunteer Involvement in Museums. Bookings will open on Monday 1 September when our autumn Skills Programme launches. |
|
|
|
For further details on the programme please visit our website. In the meantime, get some inspiration about other museums’ volunteer involvement by reading some of our resources and case studies. |
|
|
We are thrilled to announce the appointment of a new Cornwall Museum Development Officer! In July we welcomed Annie Lucas to the Museum Development South West (MDSW) team. Annie says, "After many years of freelancing, I’m thrilled to be working with MDSW to support museums across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Though I originally trained as a theatre costume and set designer, I stumbled into the museum world during my MA—and I’ve never looked back. |
|
|
|
|
A lifelong history enthusiast, my true passion lies in historical costume, blending my love for theatre with my skills as a dedicated sewer (I make 90% of my own clothes!). I’m also a mum to two daughters who, luckily, love a good museum trip—so I must be doing something right there!"
|
|
|
|
Discover guide to boost teachers’ interest in school trips to museums
|
|
|
Art Fund – the national charity that connects museums, people and art - has created a Museum Trips Guide featuring 20 UK museums that offer inspiring learning experiences for all key stages. The guide, which aims to encourage teachers to consider museums as relevant destinations for school trips in the 2025-6 academic year ahead, and to help them plan trips with ease, includes museum overviews & highlights, resources, curriculum links, costs and booking info.
|
|
|
|
Cataloguing and recording seals guidanceThe Archives and Records Association have published new guidelines for cataloguing and recording seals.
This was a collaborative project across the heritage and academic sectors and brought in expertise from across archives, rare books, museums, archaeology, conservation and sigillography research. Charlotte Berry, Bristol City Archivist, contributed to the guide.
It’s intended as a practical and useful guide for anybody, including volunteers, working with seals in their collections.
|
|
|
New Heritage Funding DirectoryAfter months of research and development, The Heritage Alliance and AHF have unveiled the refreshed Heritage Funding Directory. The Heritage Funding Directory provides over 400 potential funding sources, along with guides and resources to help you secure financial support for your heritage organisation. You can also select and view funding opportunities by theme, practice or discipline.
|
|
|
Kathy Callow Legacy FundThe South West Federation of Museums & Art Galleries is the custodian of the Kathy Callow Legacy Fund. The Kathy Callow Legacy Fund supports small, Accredited museums in the South West of England with the costs of care and display of social history collections. This may include conservation, exhibitions, improving stored collections or public engagement. The total sum available for grant-making in each year is approximately £1,000 The deadline for applications is Monday 20 October 2025.
|
|
|
Jerwood Art Fund CommissionsThrough a partnership between Art Fund and Jerwood Foundation, these grants support museums and galleries to commission artists to make work of exceptional innovation and quality – furthering the artist’s development at a pivotal stage in their careers, while enriching public collections through new contemporary art. Two commissions of £70,000 – £100,000 are available, covering the full costs of delivering and presenting the commissions with each partner museum. Applications close on Wednesday 1 October 2025.
|
|
|
|
The best ways to get in touch are via the form on our website or emailing museum.development@bristol.gov.uk
If you think a colleague or friend would like to keep up to date
with Museum Development South West, please forward this email or encourage them to join our newsletter by clicking below:
|
|
|
|
Museum Development South West content:
|
|
|
|
|
