The impact of the cuts across the UK surveyed for the first time.
In the first nation-wide survey on the impact of the government's cuts upon UK museums, The Museums Association has slammed what it describes as “devastating” results. These include reduced opening hours, a massive reduction in public events and widespread job losses. The survey – entitled The Impact of Cuts on UK Museums – goes on to argue that “severe cuts... cannot be made without seriously impacting upon front line public services”.
The survey, which received responses from 140 institutions across the UK, paints a depressing picture of the immediate future for the nation's museums. 58% of the 140 museums that responded to the survey have experienced cuts of some degree, whilst 20% have been subjected to cuts of more than a quarter. The Museum Association, which describes itself as “a membership organisation for everyone working in museums, galleries and heritage”, is understandably worried.
Central government policy and local government ignorance both come in for criticism. One former curator of a local authority museum in the South West spoke of his institution following the cuts as “now a zombie museum”, whilst a museum designer at a local authority museum in the West Midlands said, “The decisions have been short-sighted, knee-jerk reactions, panicking to meet the cuts required by councillors. After the three-year period within which the cuts are required, they will sit back and look at the ragged tatters of what had been a growing and enthusiastic museum service, and the tired, cynical staff within it, and perhaps regret their hasty and ill-informed decisions.”
Things are not all bleak however as some have used the cuts as an opportunity to implement some long overdue change. Several respondents talk of a new-found efficiency and “constructive change”. A curator from an independent museum in the East of England said, rather reassuringly: “The future for the museum is uncertain but it is supported by people who do not want it to fail. These people are the ones who are driving new projects forward in the hope it will help the museum survive into the future.”
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