Accreditation review

Events and consultations are being planned for the summer to guide the development and build on the success of the Museum Accreditation Scheme. As the nationally agreed standard, the scheme has played a major role in the transformation of over 1800 museums across the country in the last 20 years. It is regarded as the sector benchmark, and one of the most innovative and effective developments in the sector.

The MLA is embarking on a project to explore how Accreditation could be strengthened and updated to support development in museums, and how the process can be streamlined.

Roy Clare, MLA Chief Executive, said: “Our priority is to ensure that the public enjoy excellent cultural services. The success of the Accreditation scheme is a baseline on which we can build. Our objectives are to simplify the bureaucracy of the existing process, extend the scheme to include archives and ensure that we find a way to hear and reflect the views of visitors and users.”

An Advisory Panel has been convened by MLA to oversee the development of the standard. Nine members of the Advisory Panel (listed in the notes section below), including the Museums Association and Association of Independent Museums, met on 6 May and agreed that:

“For Accreditation to be valued, respected and used we need to be sure it reflects and relates to the context in which all museums operate. This is the first review since 2003 and it needs to look at all aspects of what makes Accreditation such a well recognised benchmark and a useful improvement tool.”

Full consultation will take place during summer 2009 with a series of consultation events and an online consultation paper which will be available from the MLA website www.mla.gov.uk

NOTES TO EDITORS

• Media enquiries on the development of Accreditation should be directed to Senior Media Relations Adviser,  Sunita Sharma, on 020 7273 8299, email: sunita.sharma@mla.gov.uk
• MLA’s Accreditation Scheme sets nationally agreed standards for museums in the UK. The Standard supports museums in identifying opportunities for further improvement and development. There are currently over 1800 museums participating in the Scheme, demonstrating their commitment to managing collections effectively for the enjoyment of all communities. For further information see http://www.mla.gov.uk/what/raising_standards/accreditation
• Members of the Advisory Panel present at the meeting were: David Adshead (Head Curator, National Trust); Vivienne Bennett (Director Visual Arts Strategy, Arts Council); Emma Chaplin (Councillor, Association of Independent Museums); Nick Kingsley (Head of Archives Sector Development, The National Archive); Colin Sibun (Director, Army Museums Ogilby Trust); Fiona Talbott (Head of Museums, Libraries and Archives; HLF); Mark Taylor (Museums Association); Suzie Tucker (Projects & Policy Officer, National Museums Directors Conference); Carol Whittaker (CyMAL: Museums, Libraries & Archives Wales).
• Arrangements for support and advice in each English region following the MLA restructure are now in place (no changes to support in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have occurred). Regional Accreditation Advisers, funded through the Renaissance scheme, are in post in 8 of the 9 English regions, the remaining post, for the East Midlands, is currently being recruited. The Advisers will be key contacts, liaising with museums, Museum Development Officers (where present), Curatorial Advisers, Accreditation Assessors, Renaissance teams and MLA to ensure all applicants have the advice and support they need. Contact details for these advisers can be found on our website (http://www.mla.gov.uk/what/raising_standards/accreditation).