Cuts to public funding are hitting all museums, but those run by local authorities are the worst off, according to survey.
The Cuts Survey 2015, carried out by the Museums Association (MA), found a 2% decrease in total income for local authority museums.
It also discovered that 18% of the UK’s museums had closed a part or branch of their museum to the public in the past year or would do so in the year to come, and it learnt that 44 museums have closed across the UK since 2010.
The MA’s findings also found that more museums are being forced to charge. 8% of respondents introduced charging in the past year, while 12% said they would do this in 2016.
Museums are also increasingly selling off their collections in order to raise funds. 11% of the survey’s respondents were considering financially motivated disposal in the next year, which is up from 9% in 2014.
The survey revealed that 12% of museums had changed their governance model in the last five years-- 3% became trusts, 1% social enterprises, and 8% moved to another arrangement, such as a community interest group or a mixed model.
While public funding of museums has decreased, the survey demonstrates that self-generated income has increased by 6%, and 79% and 77% of respondents emphasised that income generation and fundraising will be a priority in the next year.
Sharon Heal, director of the Museums Association, said: ‘Museums that serve local communities deliver real public benefit and there is a danger that whole areas of the country will have these services wiped out if the cuts continue.
‘We are particularly concerned about the impact of the cuts to local authority funding in the English regions and the devolved nations. The MA will continue to advocate for all museums and the life-changing experiences that they can provide.’
Responding to the MA’s survey, Cllr Ian Stephens, chairman of the Local Government Association's Culture, Tourism and Sport Board said:
‘Councils recognise the tremendous role that museums play in helping to create places where people want to live, work and visit. However, local authorities had to reduce spending on arts and museums and there are still substantial challenges ahead for councils who will have to continue to find savings while trying to limit the impact on local communities.’
He continued: ‘This will include making tough decisions about how to keep providing the hundreds of vital services which communities value, including arts and museums.
‘Many council-run and supported museums have responded to budget pressures by working in new and different ways such as sharing services, generating extra income, working with volunteers and developing a digital offer. Each council will do what works best for them depending on local circumstances.’
