Charity Registration No. 1102270
Federation of Museums and Art Galleries of
Wales
Advocacy Strategy 2011 - 2014
Executive Summary
This document sets out the Advocacy Strategy for The Federation of Museums and
Art Galleries of Wales. (The Federation).
Museums are more than buildings and we must work to demonstrate that museums
contribute to those essential services that the community values. An Advocacy
Strategy needs to raise awareness about the breadth of work we do in every corner
of Wales, and how it fits into the learning, social & health agendas. It should also
highlight the contribution museums in Wales make to the Welsh economy,
particularly through cultural tourism.
The Federation has devised three Key Messages which summarise what museums
do to contribute to these areas. The aim of the Advocacy Strategy is to ensure the
Federation’s Key Messages are heard across Wales, the UK and by a wider
community.
These Key Messages are:
1. Museums empower people through education and inspiration
2. Collections in museums help communities to regenerate and forge their
identity
3. Museums contribute to the economy.
The Federation will use these Key Messages throughout its advocacy work and will
encourage its members to use them as well. Through this strategy the Federation
will co-ordinate and promote the views of its members, with a powerful single voice.
What is Advocacy?
“Advocacy is the process whereby an organisation seeks to influence others in order
to gain support for its mission, interests or course of action. In order to achieve this,
networks of support are developed and used to lend credibility, wield influence and
offer third party endorsement. (Museums Association)
Charity Registration No. 1102270
Background
The Federation of Museums and Art Galleries of Wales (The Federation) is the
strategic body for museum and art gallery professionals in Wales, advocating for the
highest standards of museum provision throughout Wales. We represent all types of
museums: national, local authority, university and independent and their staff
whether paid or volunteer. The Federation promotes good practice in museums and
galleries and provides support, advice and a forum for discussion of museum issues
affecting members. The Federation is a registered charity run by volunteers from
across the museum community. A Development Officer is employed on a part time
basis to provide additional capacity. The Federation is the only independent body
advocating for Museums and Galleries in Wales.
The Federation receives an income from member subscriptions. The impact of the
Federation is due to the broad representation of its institutional members. The
Federation also represents consultants and specialists working with Welsh museums
as individual members. In 2004 The Federation was the beneficiary of the residual
funds following the closure of the Council for Museums in Wales. Since 2010 the
Federation has administered grants for projects up to £5000, and has allocated over
£89,000 in grant support. This funding programme is delivered with financial support
from the Welsh Government via CyMAL. The Federation offers a regular series of
training events and allocates training grants, a newsletter, a lively web presence and
representation of the Welsh museums community in consultation processes related
to the Heritage in Wales and the UK.
In 2010 the Federation published its Business Plan for 2010-12, which set out our
priorities across a three year programme. Advocacy is an important element of our
Business Plan and a key objective of the Federation. Also in 2010 the Welsh
Government published The Museum Strategy for Wales, which will influence and
shape these priorities. We are therefore pleased to further our role by taking a lead
role in promoting advocacy.
In order to “promote the cultural life of Wales, ensuring everybody is aware of the
opportunities open to them to enjoy and participate in their museums”, the
Federation will lead on „providing strategic advocacy for museums in Wales‟1
The Federation is also working closely with the Museums Association in the
development of advocacy through the ‘Love Museums…’ campaign, in order that it
becomes embedded in museums across Wales.
1
Museum Strategy for Wales: Action point 3.9.
Charity Registration No. 1102270
Purpose of the Strategy
This strategy is a document that will guide the advocacy work the Federation carries
out on behalf of its members. It will shape the development of an advocacy toolkit,
for our members, and a promotional aid that will engage decision makers in key
messages relating to our work and remind them of the importance of museums.
Training will be provided alongside these initiatives. It will serve as a useful
document for museum staff at all levels in all museums of any size and governance
type across the whole of Wales; and will act as a reminder of the need for all to
embrace advocacy and help promote our key messages.
At the beginning of this project members of the Federation committee acknowledged
the need to develop their own advocacy skills. A training session was held in June
2010 where ideas and techniques were discussed. This led to the establishment of
a sub-committee, consisting of committee members, the Federation Development
Officer and the Advocacy and Policy Officer at Amgueddfa Cymru – National
Museum Wales, whose experience and advice has been invaluable in this process.
The sub-committee has been responsible for producing this document.
Context
The development of an Advocacy Strategy is extremely timely. The Accreditation
Scheme for Museums in the UK underwent a major review in 2010 and an updated
revised scheme will be introduced in October 2011. The Museum Strategy for Wales
supports this and clearly states CyMAL's intent to use Accreditation as the basis for
policy making. Community consultation - as required by Accreditation and
encouraged by the Museum Strategy for Wales has a direct advocacy benefit for
museums.
In addition we are living and working in tough economic times: budget cuts are a
reality. All sectors are facing uncertainty, which makes it important that we have a
coordinated response, working together to promote the contribution museums make
to Wales, the UK and the wider community. We must be aware that a climate of
austerity can frame choices between services such as education and health and
sectors such as heritage. We must be sensitive to public priorities and show how
museums contribute to a fair and worthwhile society. We need to work as a sector to
think creatively about the delivery of our services.
The Assembly election in 2011 has led to a change in government and a new
Minister with a wider portfolio than previously. Such a placement offers both the
possibility for museums to demonstrate their wider benefit and a risk that they
disappear from the agenda. During such times, museums should work to remain
visible and relevant.
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Key Messages
The Federation recognises that museums are involved in many different areas. We
believe that the Key Messages that museums need to convey are:
1. Museums empower people through education and inspiration
2. Collections in museums help communities to regenerate and forge their
identity
3. Museums contribute to the economy.
Statements
These Key Messages are underpinned by a series of Statements about what
museums actually do. This strategy will ensure that these are communicated as part
of promoting the Key Messages.
1. Museums empower people through education and inspiration
Statement 1 Museums collect and preserve the community’s heritage
Statement 2 Museums are significant centres of formal and informal learning
Statement 3 Museums provide services for children and young people
2. Collections in Museums help communities to regenerate and forge their
identity
Statement 4 Museums contribute to local identity, a sense of place and
belonging
Statement 5 Museums have accessible, well qualified and committed staff.
Statement 6 Museums work in partnerships with numerous organisations
Statement 7 Museums provide services to diverse communities
Statement 8 Museums engage volunteers and many are managed by the third
sector
Statement 9 Museums contribute to the quality of life
Statement 10 Museums improve our physical and mental health
Statement 11 Museums encourage the use and growth of the Welsh language
3. Museums contribute to the economy
Statement 12 Museums support tourism and economic regeneration
Statement 13 Museums offer real value for money
Statement 14 Museums meet high standards and offer a quality service
Charity Registration No. 1102270
Target Audiences and possible ways to reach them
It is important that our messages are communicated to a wide range of audiences.
This can be done both directly by the Federation and as part of the advocacy work
carried out by individual museums linked to the Advocacy Strategy.
Target Audiences Ways of delivering Federations’ three key messages
1. Museum Visitors Website
Social Media
Leaflets
Press stories
Educational Material
Information from Spotlight
2. Education and Lectures
Training Providers Notes
Web notes
Power point slides
Information from Spotlight
3. Local Supporters Lectures
Participation in governance
(Friends, Local
Sponsorship
History Groups)
Letter writing
Participation in Social Networking
4. Funders Sponsorship
Acknowledgements
One to One
Applications
Invitation to develop projects
5.Media Press Releases
Images
Quotes and Comments
Good news stories
Information from Spotlight
6. Politicians, Evidence to support message
Executive Officers, Case studies
Trustees. Role of Heritage in wider society
Modern Media
Briefing Note
One to One
Information from Spotlight
7. General Email Signature
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Actions2
1. The Federation and Individual Museums to:
Put Federation Key Messages on their website.
Put positive museum statistics on their website.
Tweet Key Messages
Tweet positive museum statistics
Include Key Messages and positive museum statistics on printed
media, including Y Mag.
Include Key Messages and positive museum statistics as notes for
editors on press releases
Include Key Messages and positive museum statistics in information
for schools.
2. The Federation to provide key museum information relating to education to:
Students
Education providers
Lecturers
3. Individual museums to encourage local supporters to use Federation Key
Messages
4. The Federation and individual museums to use Key Messages in grant
applications.
5. The Federation and individual museums to :
Place key messages on every press release
Build up a resource of good news/events/successes
6. The Federation to:
Provide data to enforce Key Messages
Ensure simple messages of value
Make information about museums easily available
Provide visual evidence
Meet with politicians
7. The Federation Committee to insert positive museum statistics and messages
on the end of email signatures from Federation Committee members.
2
These target audiences and possible ways of reaching them are not necessarily exhaustive and could be
added to by individual organisations using the strategy.
Charity Registration No. 1102270
Activities/Outcomes
This Advocacy Strategy is the beginning of a process that to work will need the co-
operation of the Federation and museums across Wales. To ensure its success, the
Federation will:
Formulate key messages to help ensure advocacy is embedded within
individual museums.
Produce a tool kit for museums to support museums in developing an
individual advocacy strategy
Produce a promotional aid for decision makers, with key statistics, to remind
them of the importance of museums.
Provide training for members to enable them to develop their advocacy skills.
Retain links with all political parties, and seek to influence future manifestos.
Continue to work with the Minister responsible for Heritage and CyMAL in
delivering the Museum Strategy for Wales
Provide the Media with stories as necessary
Communicate with our membership and support their individual advocacy
role.
Evaluation and Monitoring
The Federation’s Advocacy Subgroup will play a key role in monitoring how the
strategy is implemented through Wales, with particular attention to how the tool kit is
used by museums and the attention received from decision makers. The success of
this work will be evidenced by:
Number of attendees at advocacy training events
Interest from decision makers
Use of the tool kit by museums across Wales
Knowledge of the initiative within government
Evidence that the value of museums has been recognised within relevant
strategies, policies and individual museum’s core aims.
Recommended Action Point
Advocacy Subgroup to review strategy and action points on an annual basis.