Delivering Change: Museum Transformers Programme
Introduction
Applications to this programme have now closed.
Delivering Change: Museum Transformers is an anti-oppression programme that aims to empower the museum workforce to make changes to help all people to access culture. It has been developed by Museums Galleries Scotland and an Expert Advisory Group. It’s funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to National Lottery players, and the Scottish Government.
The programme is about putting into action organisation’s ideas on improving access to culture. It will give the organisation and their workforce the capacity, training, and support to sustainably action and embed these ideas into their museum.
During the programme of coaching, reflection, and peer-to-peer support the participating heritage organisations will:
- Become one of the Museum Transformers, who are 19 organisations leading in anti-oppression and human rights in museums
- Deepen community impact through authentic relationships
- Diversify audiences, partners and workforce
- Maximise the momentum of previous diversity, equity, and inclusion work
- Have space to make mistakes in a supportive environment.
Participating heritage organisations
- Cromarty Courthouse
- Culture Perth and Kinross
- David Livingstone Birthplace
- HMS Unicorn
- Inverclyde Council
- Leisure & Culture Dundee
- Museums & Galleries Edinburgh
- National Galleries of Scotland
- North Lanarkshire Council
- Paisley Museum
- Paxton House
- Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
- Physicians Gallery (Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh)
- The Scottish Crannog Centre
- Shetland Museum and Archives
- The Glasgow School of Art’s Archives and Collections
- The Whithorn Trust
- Timespan
- V&A Dundee
We’re really excited that the National Galleries of Scotland is taking part in the Delivering Change: Museums Transformers programme. We’re proud to be part of such a significant programme that will support museums and galleries across Scotland to undertake anti-oppression work within their organisations. Making art accessible to everyone is at the heart of everything we do, and this scheme will support our ongoing work to deliver equality, diversity and inclusion in all our galleries. It’s an opportunity to learn from each other, and to work collaboratively with Museums Galleries Scotland to deliver real change across the sector.
Director-General, Anne Lyden, National Galleries of Scotland
What does the programme consist of?
The programme is designed to take an organisation-wide approach to learning and action planning. It includes all members of a museum’s workforce, such as trustees, staff, and volunteers. Together they are taking part in organisational transformation work tailored to their museum. During in-person and online sessions, they’re exploring how to re-structure as organisations based on anti-oppressive principles through:
- An initial museum visit from project staff to assess opportunities and to begin to co-create a learning and action plan
- Bespoke and flexible anti-oppression coaching focusing on anti-racism and anti-ableism
- Training on human rights in museums, including co-production, participatory practice, and critical thinking
Impact
At the end of the programme participating museums will be able:
- To make decisions about their priorities and how they use resources in partnership with their communities
- To take a Human Rights based approach across all areas of their organisation
- To have an organisational culture that is based on anti-oppression principles. This will support it to be more welcoming and inclusive for a diverse workforce and audience, in particular those who have been systemically excluded
- Better understanding of what matters to their community/audience, in particular those who have been systemically excluded
- To be more resilient by developing relationships with a community who will advocate for them and further demonstrate their value to society
- To be better able to research, interpret, and share the histories of those who have been systemically excluded
Benefits
Participating museums benefit through the programme by:
- Competency and confidence across their organisation in leading anti-oppression work
- Resourcing and support to develop co-production frameworks for their organisation
- Support throughout the programme with a dedicated staff member from MGS
- Opportunity to be partnered with a community organisation as part of the Community Catalysts Fund
- Opportunity to host a Delivering Change Leadership placement
- Additional £2,000 bursary to support full participation in the programme
- All of the organisation’s workforce undertaking the programme will receive mental health support during the training
- Certification for every participant
- Access to a suite of resources (including videos, podcasts, toolkits, templates for individual/organisational action plans)
Commitment
- Workforce undertaking the programme from across the hierarchy: Boards/Trustees, Front of House, Curatorial, Estates etc
- Workforce undertaking the programme are required for a minimum 4-6 full days in-person, either on site or at a local location over 2 years
- Minimum 11 hours per person online learning at times and a pace that suits the individual
- Participation in the evaluation and monitoring of the programme
