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New pages on WMMD website

West Midlands Museum Development has added two new pages to our Coronavirus Update section.

The new pages are ‘Reopening advice and guidance’ and Museums facing closure’

To access these, click on the ‘Other support’ drop down list (circled red below) and select the first option ‘Coronavirus update’.

The new pages can be found on the left hand side (circled red below)

Coffee and Chatter

Join the WMMD team most Thursdays at 10.30am for a half hour of Coffee and Chatter.

It’s your chance to share what’s happening at your museum, learn what your colleagues across the sector are doing in their heritage organisations and hear about the latest sector guidance and news. Each week is different as we don’t know who will be joining us!

Joining details:

West Midlands Museum Development is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Coffee and Chatter

Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/99254865285?pwd=R2xiUlUzOFdWMGJFQXpyL0E4cHpNQT09

Meeting ID: 992 5486 5285
Password: 579046

New to Zoom? Check out our Quick Reference Guide to get started.

Webinars from West Midlands Museum Development

West Midlands Museum Development is hosting two webinars next week:

For more information see below.  To book your place simply click on the webinar names above.

All participants who have booked on to a webinar will receive an email containing a Zoom link to access the training at least one hour prior to the event.  Don’t worry you do not need a Zoom account, simply follow the link provided and enter the password.

Priority will be given to delegates from non-NPO and non-National museums in the West Midlands which are Accredited or officially Working Towards Accreditation.  

 

Writing an Emergency Funding Bid

Tuesday 21 April, 10.30am-11.30am

Are you a non NPO organisation considering applying for one of the Emergency Funding streams in response to Covid-19?

Join the WMMD team and Jenni Waugh for a short webinar outlining the options available and providing top tips on writing funding applications.

Jenni is an experienced bid writer and evaluator who has worked with museums and heritage organisations across the region on briefs for a variety of funders, including NLHF, ACE and the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation.

As follow up support we will be offering a limited number of bookable slots to either schedule a phone call with Jenni to discuss a particular application, or to have her cast her expert eye over your application.

This webinar is aimed at small organisations who are navigating the funding streams available and may have limited bid writing experience.

 

Workforce Management in the Social Sector during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Wednesday 22 April, 3pm-4pm

Roots HR CIC will deliver a one hour webinar outlining key information and guidance for social sector organisations during the Covid-19 pandemic, including;

Roots HR Community Interest Company is the UK’s specialist consultancy for human resources and health and safety services for the social sector. They enable organisations to continually improve performance and sustainability through better people management, whilst ensuring an understanding of and compliance with employment legislation.

Coronavirus Update

In view of the current situation we have taken the decision to postpone our upcoming events in order to safeguard you, our training partners and the team.

All events will be rescheduled at a time when everyone is able to access them and gain full benefit.

From Wednesday 18 March the WMMD team will be working remotely.  Please be assured that we are very much here to support the regions museums through this challenging time so please contact us via email in the first instance wmmd@ironbridge.org.uk

We are looking into digital alternatives in order to continue this support.  Keep up to date with these developments by continuing to visit our website or signing up to our mailing list.

In the meantime we are pulling together advice and guidance from across sector which can be found below

Acas

The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) Coronavirus advice for employers and employees has been updated and can be viewed here

It includes new details on Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), use of holiday leave, increased advice around hygiene in the workplace and guidance for when employees need to self-isolate.

They are also hosting Coronavirus, an advisory webinar for employers.  This free webinar will provide practical advice for employers to help manage the impact of Coronavirus in the workplace. It includes:

View more details and register your place here

You can also join Acas for a live Twitter Q&A session on Friday 20 March. 10.30am https://twitter.com/acasorguk
If you have questions or concerns about time off work, pay, remote working and what steps you can take to reduce the spread of the virus, join Acas experts to chat live on Twitter.
Send your questions in advance to @acasorguk #AskAcas.

Arts Council England

ACE have published the following web page which features the latest guidance from government for their funded organisations and projects.  This page will be updated as the situation develops and can be viewed here

If you are a National Portfolio Organisation then please contact your Relationship Manager if you have a specific question or concern about your organisation and the effects of the Coronavirus.

They have also set up a central email address for all other queries. Please contact us at: Coronavirus-queries@artscouncil.org.uk

Aim

The Association of Independent Museums (Aim) have also put together a web page which they are regularly updating and can be found here

This also includes:

Arts Fundraising and Philanthropy

Arts Fundraising and Philanthropy are now offering a FREE hour of consultancy support every day on a first come first served basis to arts organisations that may need help in the coming weeks. This power hour can be focused on a range of areas including income generation, fundraising strategy, or donor cultivation. Book here

Culture, Health and Wellbeing Alliance

CHWA have put together Coronavirus resources for practitioners and organisations which can be found here

These include:

Disability Cooperative Network (DCN)

DCN have advice and guidance on How to be more accessible on social media: Twitter, Snapchat, Vimeo which can be viewed here

Other tips include:

East Midlands Museum Development

There is also useful information on the East Midlands Museum Development team’s website where they have pulled together some useful information on remote volunteering, digital equipment and communication and can be found here

Gem

Group for Education in museums (GEM) have also produced guidance for those working in the  museum and heritage learning sector and can be found here

This also includes:

NCVO

The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) has produced a summary page of advice and guidance on its web pages and can be found here

This includes a range of advice including:

They have also made their member-only resources free to everyone because of the current situation and can be accessed here

Roots HR

The consultants at Roots HR have put together some simple and free tools to support employers with home working.  View the tools here

These include:

Check regularly for updates:

Follow on Twitter:

Conference 2020 Postponed

Conference 2020 Postponed

Updated Friday 13 March

We have been following official government advice surrounding COVID-19 but with a rapidly evolving situation we have taken the decision to postpone the onsite event. Although this is disappointing we hope you’ll agree it is the right thing to do to safeguard you and others.

We will look to reschedule the event in the future and will advertise new dates as soon as we can.

If you have any questions please get in touch.

Email: wmmd@ironbridge.org.uk
Tel: 01952 435 900

Conference 2020: The Workshops

19 March, 9.15am – 6pm
Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, Coalbrookdale, Shropshire TF8 7DQ

Funded by Arts Council England (ACE), the conference brings together the region’s museums, art galleries and heritage sites to network, share news and best practice from within and outside the heritage sector.

There will be four workshops held during the afternoon with an opportunity for each delegate to attend two of these.  Simply sign up on the day on a first come, first served basis.

Workshop 1: Confident Bid Writing Skills

Top bid-writing tips from successful fundraiser and heritage engagement specialist, Jenni Waugh.
An opportunity to hone your Small Grant application! Jenni has worked on both sides of the bidding table, having developed, managed and assessed for a range of grant award schemes for the BBC and regional development agencies; and bid successfully for support from a range of cultural sector funders.  jenniwaughconsulting.com

Workshop 2: Escape Games in Museums

Come play a table-top Live Escape Game before learning about how they could be used in your museum!
Escape Games have been hugely successful in attracting new audiences looking for new experiences. Yet few museums have explored their potential.  Join John Sear of Museum Games to play a pop-up escape game (originally built with a small budget in 24 hours) and learn how you create them yourself for your venues using your collections.  johnsear.com

Workshop 3: Money Isn’t a Dirty Word

Programming events for profitability.
Abi Betteridge and Ella Hewitt, Museum Public Events Manager, RAF Museum will share practical insights and top tips into creating and maintaining a profitable and engaging public event programme that has potential to draw in new audiences.  rafmuseum.org.uk

Workshop 4: Museum Explorers

Using the Scratch process to develop an inspiring new museum resource for under 5s.
‘Museum Explorers’ is the latest resource for children under 5 and their parents and carers at Nuneaton Museum & Art Gallery.  Join Matt Johnson, Learning and Engagement Manager, for this fun, interactive and inspiring workshop demonstrating how creative partnership working and resource testing produced a fantastic museum based-activity for children approaching school age.  nuneatonandbedworth.gov.uk/museum

Book your Conference 2020 place here.

View the Conference 2020 agenda here.

Travel Bursaries for Conference 2020

A limited number of travel bursaries are available for conference delegates.  The bursary offered is part of Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust’s National Portfolio Organisation and Museum Development programmes.

Delegates can apply for up to £50 towards travel costs payable after the conference.  Recipients of the bursary will be required to submit a short report afterwards about their conference experiences.  The bursary is only open to delegates from non NPO-museums in the West Midlands which are Accredited or Working Towards Accreditation.  Only one bursary per organisation.

Closing date for applications: 5pm, Monday 17 February

Download the application form.

Small Grant Scheme Open

Would you like up to £3,000 to support a project?

The Small Grant Scheme is part of the West Midlands Museum Development Programme (WMMD), funded by Arts Council England (ACE) and underpinned by ACE’s 10 year strategic framework ‘Great Arts and Culture for Everyone’.

The Small Grant Scheme supports museums in the West Midlands to deliver projects that increase access to and engagement with their collections.

All projects should show how they seek to develop and respond to audience development opportunities; improving the services on offer, strengthening sustainability, building resilience and creating new conversations and activity around collections.

For this round of funding we would particularly welcome applications for digital audience engagement projects which widen access to stored collections.

Please read the Guidance and contact your Museum Development Officer before completing the Application Form (pdf version available on request).

Applications must be submitted by: 5pm, Friday 3 April

Successful applicants notified: w/c Monday 20 April

We are running a Confident Bid Writing Skills workshop on 25 February, the perfect opportunity to hone your application for a Small Grant.  For more information and to book click here.

What’s Eating Your Collections? A two day Integrated Pest Management (IPM) course

Do you know your carpet beetle from your furniture beetle?

Jane Thompson-Webb will lead us through an intensive two days of identifying, managing and preventing the pests that can cause serious, long term and permanent damage to collections. The course will be held on 12 and 13 February 2020 in Birmingham.  Delegates will gain confidence in recognising the signs of insect damage to a range of collection types, understand the life cycles and preferred habitats of key museum pests and become equipped with the tools to prevent infestation.  Jane will also cover developments and research into new potential pests and their spread.

Why is this course for you?

This is an in-depth look at IPM and is essential if you have collections that could be at risk from insect or other pests.  If you have previously taken part in the one day course this will be an opportunity to explore the subject more deeply as well as being an excellent refresher.

Delegates must attend both days.

To book click on this link.  If the link doesn’t take you through to the booking form the course is fully booked.  If you would like to go on the waiting list please email wmmd@ironbridge.org.uk.

12 -13 February 2020 – What’s Eating Your Collections?
10am-4pm – Birmingham Museums Collections Centre, 25 Dollman Street, Birmingham B7 4RQ

What’s Eating Your Collections? A two day Integrated Pest Management (IPM) course

Do you know your carpet beetle from your furniture beetle?

Jane Thompson-Webb will lead us through an intensive two days of identifying, managing and preventing the pests that can cause serious, long term and permanent damage to collections.  Delegates will gain confidence in recognising the signs of insect damage to a range of collection types, understand the life cycles and preferred habitats of key museum pests and become equipped with the tools to prevent infestation.  Jane will also cover developments and research into new potential pests and their spread.

Why is this course for you?

This is an in-depth look at IPM and is essential if you have collections that could be at risk from insect or other pests.  If you have previously taken part in the one day course this will be an opportunity to explore the subject more deeply as well as being an excellent refresher.

Delegates must attend both days.

To book click on the button below.  If you can’t see the booking button the course is fully booked.  If you would like to go on the waiting list please email wmmd@ironbridge.org.uk.

12 -13 February 2020 – What’s Eating Your Collections?
10am-4pm, Birmingham Museums Collections Centre, 25 Dollman Street, Birmingham B7 4RQ