Stuart Davies
Museums Association
Museums and Local Government
From a speech by the President of the Museums Association
In September 2008 Stuart Davies gave a speech to AGM of Museums Association. This is the national professional body for people who work in museums. This section from his speech is important for museum work such as the Living Here initiative:
"Changes in local government policy and planning have significant implications for museums, representing both challenges and opportunities for museums to become more firmly embedded in local and regional life into the future.
For example, Place-shaping is emerging as a major agent of change in local government policy development, strategy, and planning. The Lyons Report published in March 2007, Place-Shaping: a shared ambition for local government, restates the importance of having a local voice and that 'place remains relevant' in the contemporary world. Indeed, the Report suggests that the role of local government is in fact place-shaping; another term aimed at integrating roles and responsibilities across the public, private and third sectors.
Local and independent museums are often exactly about places and the people. Here is another opportunity for the Association to take on a new campaign, to remind local government of the value of so many museums as part of the place, capable of being an energetic and democratic agent for social good in both rural and urban environments."
Find out more: Museums Association website