In an article originally published in Apollo magazine’s September issue, Jake Wakefield examined the numerous issues facing our regional galleries and museums. As an organisation supporting and championing the interests of museums and galleries across the North West region, we at the NWFed were interested to read what Jack had to say on the key issues he felt regional museums and galleries are facing in the current economic climate.
Highlighting the importance of our regional collections as the first major creative influence to numerous local school children, families and other community members which has included people such as L.S.Lowry, whose artistic love for D.G Rossetti’s portraits he encountered in Manchester Art Gallery perhaps influenced his decision to become an artist. This importance our regional collections play within their local and wider communities is something not reflected in the cuts to their core funding which continues at a rapid pace.
Regional museums and galleries are consistently being asked to do more to help sustain their own sources of income – improve their cafes and shops, raise money by licencing their collections, renting out their spaces, applying for private grants, encouraging donations – but all of these actions together only make up a small percentage of the income they need to sustain their function within the local community.
National collections in London seem to have greater access to private funding, so how do we draw funders away from London and into our regional museums and galleries? As Jack states when closing his article, “small acts of philanthropy will make a much bigger difference outside London”; but how do we make this happen?
We welcome your comments and thoughts on this issue below.
To read the full article, Click Here