Applications open for the Country Arts Support Program (CASP)

Closing date is 10 February 2012!

Applications for the 2012 round of CASP are now open, for projects taking place between 9 April 2012 and 7 April 2013.

Applicants will be advised of a decision on 26 March.

CASP provides small grants to arts and community organisations and local arts councils in regional NSW for short term, locally initiated projects. The aims of the program are:

• to assist locally determined cultural activities
* to increase opportunities for regionally based groups to access a diverse range of arts programs;
* to enable communities to explore and express their cultural identities;* to encourage communities to work together to develop and participate in cultural experiences;
* to bring social and economic benefits to the community through training, employment and promotional activities; and
* to lead to greater awareness and appreciation of cultural diversity in rural and regional New South Wales

Further information: http://regionalartsnsw.com.au/grants/casp.html

Seeking Expressions of Interest for three Membership Committees

M&G NSW convenes several committees to assist in the development of its programs and provide strategic advice and feedback. These committees bring an invaluable breadth of knowledge and experience to M&G NSW.

M&G NSW are seeking expressions of interest for membership on three committees (Gallery Reference Committee, Museum Reference Committee, Volunteer Reference Committee) from 2012. Applications are due 3 February 2012. All applications received will be considered and the final selection will be made by M&G NSW staff. Endorsement from the applicant’s current institution will be sought before candidates are notified by late February 2012.

Terms of reference for each committee and application forms are available on the M&G NSW website.

Powerhouse Museum Regional Services 2012 Program

Please click on text to enlarge,

New – National Standards for Australian Museum and Galleries – Version 1.2

Version 1.2 of the National Standards for Australian Museum and Galleries has been released with updated resources and links. The release of this latest version continues the Taskforce’s commitment to continually review the document so that it remains relevant to the needs of Australian museums. This document is intended to be freely available to all of Australia’s many museums. We use the term museum to represent all collecting organizations in the sector

Download The National Standards for Australian Museums and Galleries version 1.2 

The Standards are focused on key areas of activity common to organisations that care for collections and provide collection-based services to the community. They aim to support museums and galleries in carrying out their day-to-day activities, meeting their responsibilities, attracting support, and achieving their other organisational objectives.

The National Standards Taskforce (see Appendix B of the Standards Document) has developed the National Standards for Australian Museums and Galleries in consultation with the museums and galleries sector and with reference to current practice, existing core standards, development and accreditation programs. The result is an up-to-date set of agreed Standards that are broad in their scope and are designed to be an accessible tool for museums nationwide.

The three parts, nine Principles and thirty-nine Standards within the document capture and explain core industry standards and practices. Benchmarks, tips and resources provide guidance on attaining or researching specific Standards.

The Standards may be used to:
• Understand principles and standards of vital importance to museum development
and management.
• Identify what can be done towards meeting specific Standards.
• Review the museum. Staff or external reviewers might use one or all parts and/or Standards as a basis for a review of operations.
• Advocate for resources to meet Standards
to governing bodies, different levels of government, and departments, regarding museum needs such as equipment, facilities and staffing
• Gain leverage to enhance access to funding
by provide a rigorous context for funding applications.
• Help make the museum more sustainable.
by providing support or measurements for a museum’s commitment to this aim.
• Identify areas to improve.
by allowing museums to discover areas of
operation that could be initiated, developed or improved.
• Promote achievements within the museum through identifying, communicating, celebrating and promoting the benchmarks they have met.
• Raise the museum’s profile with local, state/territory or federal government.
through promotion and networking, as well as forward planning with reference to government strategies and policies.
• Enhance the museum’s credibility, recognition and status within its local community.
through long-term strategic planning and in positioning themselves within their local community.
• Increase community confidence in the capacity of the museum.

The National Standards for Australian Museums and Galleries are structured in three parts:
• Part A: Managing the Museum
• Part B: Involving People
• Part C: Developing a Significant Collection

For each of these areas of activity, this document presents five levels of information:
• Principles: the core principles of museum practice addressed by the National Standards
• Standards: the criteria to be met as museums put the Principles into action
• Benchmarks: points of reference to assist museums wishing to demonstrate that they are working towards meeting specific Standards
• Tips: practical pointers and suggestions relating to specific benchmarks
• Books and online publications and/or web pages: print publications and online resources relevant to museums activities encompassed by individual benchmarks
(for use in conjunction with Appendix E; all online resources are hyperlinked)

The first five appendixes contain at-a-glance reference information:
• Appendix A: What Is a Museum? – extended definition of a museum, developed
by Museums Australia
• Appendix B: The National Standards Taskforce – information about the nine
organisations represented on the National Standards Taskforce
• Appendix C: Key Acronyms – a list of acronyms used in this document
• Appendix D: Glossary – concise definitions of key terms used in this document
• Appendix E: Resources – full bibliographical details for all print publications and
online resources referenced in this document.

Collecting organisations of all kinds are invited to use the National Standards framework as a practical point of reference, and are encouraged to continue providing feedback, contributing their insights, and reporting on their experiences, as the Standards continue to be developed (see Appendix F).

Contact details for Taskforce members in each state and territory are provided on the website of Collections Australia Network (CAN), the host site for the National Standards, and in Appendix F.

Importantly, the Standards offer museums opportunities for development long term, and can help them to identify priorities and develop policies, plans and procedures that will allow them to manage their activities effectively and to achieve their goals.

Benchmarks identified in this document can be incorporated into a museum’s planning in manageable stages, as resources become available.

Source: CAN Outreach blog

At The Frontier 2011 - Digital Stories

The “digital frontier” is an important theme of At The Frontier 2011 conference and whilst the conference itself will focus on the why’s and where fore’s of the production of such material, it is important to showcase the end product, which is designed for the audience to see. What better way to do this than on a big public screen?

Anna Crane from Jäger Studio has curated a program of the vast range of digital material produced and presented by museums, galleries, interpretive centres, natural heritage, historic sites, digital artists and curators.

 

View here the daily program for Digital Stories:

Download PDF Digital Stories Daily Rundown

Regional Stakeholders Consultation Day

Re         25 November              Regional Stakeholders Consultation Day
9.30 am – 4.30 pm      Target Theatre, Powerhouse Museum, Harris Street
          
The Powerhouse Museum will be holding our annual Regional Stakeholders Consultation Day on Friday 25 November 2011 in the Target Theatre.

This meeting aims to share current work at the Powerhouse Museum and other State Cultural Heritage Institutions and provide opportunities for regional heritage organisations to give feedback and discuss planning for 2012. This will include a forum in the afternoon and will be open to all who are interested.  We hope it will support better planning of outreach programs offered to regional organisations and more collaboration and integration of programs across the sector in 2012 and beyond. Apart from the Powerhouse staff there will be representatives from Australian Museum, State Library, Historic Houses Trust, State Records, Museums and Galleries NSW.

You are invited to attend and take part in the discussions. The program will include four panel sessions designed to encourage discussion and the topics to be featured are

Protocols and policies for working with Indigenous communities and collections
Touring regional product, collaboration, and exhibition and program development
Research and interpretation for school and community engagement

Please advise Einar Docker, 02 9217 0412 or email einard@phm.gov.au  if you are wish to attend. There is no cost but bookings are essential.

If you would like further information you can contact myself on 1800 882 092 or by email rebeccap@phm.gov.au.

Yours sincerely


Rebecca Pinchin
Regional Services

Phone 02 9217 0220
Free call 1800 882 092
rebeccap@phm.gov.au

Canowindra’s ‘Green Gold’ Celebration

…………………………………….

Please join us for the unveiling of the new interpretive panels in the museum’s 

lucerne display, followed by afternoon tea in the grounds of the railway cottage.
 

When:  Saturday 12th November 2011 at 2 p.m.
                                  

Where:  Canowindra Historical Museum
 

Gaskill Street, Canowindra

 

The Canowindra Historical Society & Museum Inc. invites members of the community to an afternoon of celebrations to acknowledge the importance of Lucerne to the local area.   Lucerne grown on the Belubula River flats brought early wealth and fame to Canowindra and it was dubbed Canowindra’s ‘Green Gold’.   The afternoon will feature the unveiling of panels of information and pictures related to the local area.   The panels will be placed in a section of the shed that houses the museum’s Lucerne objects.   These panels are an outcome of the Sustainable Collections Project, Central NSW, a joint initiative of Orange, Blayney and Cabonne Councils supported by funding from Arts NSW.   The afternoon activities begin at 2 p.m. with the unveiling of pavers, followed by the Lucerne panels.  Afternoon tea will be served by Society members at approximately 3.15 p.m.   Short oral history presentations will feature throughout afternoon tea by selected people involved in Lucerne production.

The Future of Museums

All Coherence Gone? The Future of Museums

And new philosophy calls all in doubt,
The element of fire is quite put out,
The sun is lost, and th'earth, and no man's wit
Can well direct him where to look for it.
And freely men confess that this world's spent,
When in the planets and the firmament
They seek so many new; they see that this
Is crumbled out again to his atomies.
'Tis all in pieces, all coherence gone,
All just supply, and all relation;

AN ANATOMY OF THE WORLD, John Donne, 1611.

I heard this quote the other day on my way to work and it seemed as apt now as it did when Keppler's discovery that the earth was not in fact the centre of the universe shattered contemporary belief systems and sciences. Today it could be argued that the changes wrought by new digital technologies are having a comparable effect, atomising the present into ... pieces, all coherence gone, all just supply, and all relation. This global phenomenon affects all kinds of institutions from the banking sector and the motor industry to governments and not-for-profits, but how do museums, those perceived bastions of the past, stack up in the face of these changes.

Museums, as repositories of the past, are tempting to place at arms length from these rapid contemporary changes but in fact it could be argued that they are a 'canary in the cage' industry testing the atmosphere of change. Why? Well one reason could be that the concept of the Museum is one of those most challenged by the rapid changes in the social fabric associated with Twitter, GeoCommons, cloud computing, and Flickr. What is at stake for museums is one of the most fundamental reasons for any institutions existence, its relevancy. Over the last 40 to 50 years the once hallowed status of collections and objects has been continually challenged as exhibition models, educational courses, online databases, citizen-science, and of course the ubiquitous proliferation of information across the internet reshapes museum models, and staff work-flows, in answer to challenges from funding bodies, industry and the public to become more directly involved in community outcomes.

Our successes and failures in dealing with these pressures would probably be no greater or less than many other government funded institutions, and NFP's, were it not for that one thing that defines, and differentiates, us from so many other community services. THE COLLECTIONS. Truly they are the elephant in the room - huge, costly, capable of growing to a great age, and in many respects unlike any thing else on the planet. These collections, built up over a hundred or more years reflect a complexity, outwardly and internally, that is hard for any one person to grasp. Indeed many people, and even some museums themselves, seem to have little desire to understand the scope, size, and usefulness of these collections. Yet somehow, above all the storage and display issues, the insurance costs, and the new acquisitions there seems to be an inherent trust and belief that they are somehow important and this goodwill continues to be bequeathed across generations.

But this inheritance is not of the tangible kind, in fact it appears to be more like a barely articulated thought in most people's heads. And this is not just the general public we are talking about for many museum professionals also seem to find it hard to articulate a coherent reasoning for their collections existence. A problem exacerbated by the 20th century project of atomising the functions of the museum into specialised departments, many of which barely come in contact with the collections which formed the justification for their existence.

So we find ourselves at the beginning of a new century, amidst massive technological change, surrounded by new vehicles for delivering: educational content, Exploratorium experiences, visual and aural interaction, and access to the worlds knowledge. All of which impinge on the areas once dominated by the Museum. Against this formidable array of challenges we find ourselves armed with a barely articulated notion of the Museum residing mainly in our communal heads, and a vast array of objects from the arcane to the commonplace.

Thinking about it though, this is pretty good, in fact its real head start on many other institutions. It's incredible really that despite many efforts, internal and external, that museums have yet to squander this cache - but, and this is the big BUT, I feel we must start finding new ways of using both our collections and our place in society to articulate why the past is essential for making coherence of our present and step forward into the future.

Social networking, digitisation, educational programs, Blockbuster and other non-collection driven exhibitions, all are fine. But alone they are not enough to define the relevance of the museum as a cultural institution. Attempts fashion a future which excludes Museum collections and/or the architectural and contextual edifice currently standing stalwart in the face of change will inevitably diminish this cache until perhaps it is, as Donne suggests, ... all in pieces, all coherence gone.

Source: Blog post by Geoff Barker, Curator, Powerhouse Museum

How to Search for Funding & Grants

Finding information on funding & grants is easy using these search options.

When using Search for Funding:
If you are not sure what Category or Funding Organisation option to select, leave these unselected, and select Open from the Status options, and click "browse".

If you wish to see all open grants at once, select "View All..."

You will be surprised at how many open funding and award opportunities are available. You can also enter a keyword in the search function in your browser (usually Control-F) to find keywords within the list of open grants.

Try it here.

If you are still unable to find what you are looking for you can search by entering your keyword(s) in the search box above the top menu.

Keeping Places & Beyond: building cultural futures in NSW

Keeping culture strong through communities was a central theme of the M&G NSW organised Keeping Places & Beyond: building cultural futures in NSW summit, held at CarriageWorks on September 19/20 2011.

In bringing together, for the first time, over 150 people from across the Aboriginal arts, community & professional organisations, NSW cultural institutions, government agencies, the education sector, small business, Elders groups and individuals, the summit’s main aim was to discuss and shape the future for NSW Aboriginal cultural practice, local knowledge, heritage and language. This blackfella/whitefella meeting has been hailed a huge success by nearly all who attended.

People traveled from throughout NSW. Those who arrived on the Sunday could sample Barani Barrabugu, the city’s new heritage walking trails of significant Aboriginal sites or use their complimentary entry to the Australian Museum. Many travelers caught up with the city mobs at the welcome BBQ, put on by the City of Sydney, at Redfern Community Centre in the evening.

The Smoking Ceremony and Welcome Dance in the CarriageWorks main foyer started proceedings on Monday morning. Uncle Max Eulo conducted the ceremony which was followed by a culturally strong performance from the Doonooch Dancers, Yung Nooky (on didj) and boys from the East Nowra Public School. The dancers then led delegates into the meeting place. Delegates were welcomed to country by Auntie Millie Ingram, from the Wyanga Elders Group, Redfern. The cultural program was threaded throughout the two days, with a boomerang demonstration by Laddie Timbery, and performances by The Stiff Gins, Yung Nooky and Emma Donovan and her band.

As for the summit program, it featured presentations from a range of authoritative and informative speakers including; Professor Bob Morgan, Russell Taylor, Djon Mundine, Keith Munro, Beryl van Oploo, Phil Gordon, Dr Sandy O’Sullivan and artist, Jenny Fraser among others. Bob Morgan spoke about cultural identity and emphasized a theme that was to run through other presentations and conversations - that of the importance of self determination, of Aboriginal communities being sufficiently empowered to perform their own cultural maintenance, art form development and dissemination.

I certainly appreciated the opportunity to sit and listen as did many others. Those engaging or looking to engage in the sector made many useful contacts and like-minded approaches to build partnerships. A range of recommendations and suggestions to progress and build on momentum were discussed and agreed upon in the final sessions. They ranged across areas such as Heritage, Digitization, Art & Design, Community Engagement and ongoing connections to Government and other stakeholders. The summit’s reference committee will now give some further thought to these and their final report to Arts NSW will prioritise and chart a way forward. I do think it’s a great testament to the value of the conference that participants were keen to develop an ongoing network to continue to explore the ideas and opportunities raised over the two days, and that there was an expressed desire to meet again in a couple of years time to re-thread the picture with the work and developments in the interim.

The summit was organized and convened by Museums & Galleries NSW with core funding from Arts NSW. It was supported by Aboriginal Affairs NSW and NSW Aboriginal Land Council.


All Photos by Mervyn Bishop

Source: Museums and Galleries NSW- Alert! 28 September 2011

Kandos Collection Management Workshop

To Everyone who attended the Kandos Collection Management Workshop,

Thank you so much for your time on Saturday.  It was lovely to meet you all and we found the workshop to be both rewarding and stimulating. 

We found the discussion of museum methods in the regional context was extremely thought provoking and has provided useful input for planning future regional programs.

On our return to the Powerhouse we have found out where to purchase supplies of paraloid used for physically numbering objects.  Our Conservation Department do not sell the products but say that Preservation Australia does. Their website is: http://www.preservationaustralia.com.au/.  The advice is to Look under adhesives: Products :Adhesives :Numbering kit - Both Paraloid B72 and B67, Price: 2 x 15ml $25.00.

The other common request was to see a full copy of our Deaccession policy.  We have provided it as an attachment.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Many thanks


Judy Coombes
Manager, Registration
92170225

Nicky Balmer
Assistant Registrar
92170117

Regional & Public Galleries NSW 2011 Conference

Currency: Resourcefulness, Relevance, Resilience  

30 October - 1 November 2011

Registrations are now open for Regional & Public Galleries NSW (RPG NSW) 2011 Conference which this year will be held at the Glasshouse Arts, Conference and Entertainment Centre in Port Macquarie. This year the conference is themed Currency: Resourcefulness, Relevance, Resilience.

This conference will investigate issues of sustainability for the sector from a triple bottom line perspective, exploring the three pillars of the environmental, financial and social. The program will cover sustainable practice across the range of gallery and museum operations and the conference will be a valuable professional development opportunity for directors, public programs and marketing staff, as well as gallery technicians with an involvement in facility maintenance. Through facilitated discussion and practical workshops, by the end of the conference we aim to have developed a list of strategies, both short and long term, with which to move forward to support the vitality and longevity of the sector.  

Featured speakers include:

• Lucy Neal, UK, co-author of Sustainable Ability report and contributor to The Happy Museum Project.
• Jason Smith, Director at the Heide Museum of Modern Art on sustainable practices at Heide
• Emrah Baki Ulason will present the findings of the recent Lighting and Energy Effectiveness Report carried out by Steensen Varming
• Krista Huebner from The Museum of Contemporary Art on their use of social media and models for audience engagement

• Elizabeth Mead from the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) about audience development strategies and their use of new technology

• Belinda Hanrahan from Hazelhurst Regional Gallery and Arts Centre on sponsorships as strategic partnership
• Jenny Fraser, artist and founder of cyberTribe on Indigenous art online

• Dr Usha-Iyer Raniga, Snr Lecturer, School of Property, Construction and Project Management, RMIT University on building green facilities
• Lis Bastian, formerly of Central NSW Councils (Centroc) and currently Director at Varuna, the Writers’ House, will faciliate an important practical discussion with all the delegates around the issues covered
• Further speakers to be announced

The conference will begin with a welcome drinks, registration and performances at 5.30pm-7.30pm on Sunday 30 October at Glasshouse Regional Gallery.

Download the conference program

Download a registration form

Accommodation
The Observatory is offering a special rate to RPG NSW conference delegates on stays more than two nights. You can visit their website here.
 
Call for Papers
Submissions are now open for papers from RPG NSW members for a session that will look at models for audience engagement.

Download a paper proposal form

Conference Details
When: from 5.30pm Sunday 30 October – 1 November 2011
Where: Glasshouse Arts, Conference and Entertainment Centre, 32 Clarence Street, Port Macquarie, NSW
Conference fees: $270 full price / $220 concession (plus $65 optional conference dinner)
Special offer: concession rate available to organisations that book 2 or more additional staff members
Further information: contact Cassie Charlton pdc@mgnsw.org.au or ph: (02) 9339 99914


Museums & Galleries NSW is presenting this conference in partnership with Regional & Public Galleries NSW (RPG NSW).

Volunteer Initiated Grant Program Now Open!

Museums & Galleries NSW is pleased to announce that the second round of the Volunteer Initiated Museum (VIM) Grant Program is now open for 2011. Applications are now invited for VIM Small Grants (funding up to $1,500) and Development Project Grants (funding up to $5,000), closing: Friday 21st October 2011.

The Guidelines for all VIM Grants can be downloaded from Museums & Galleries NSW’s website (www.mgnsw.org.au).

Closes: Friday 21st October 2011.
Contact: Phoebe Arthur, Sector Development Coordinator on ph: (02) 9339 9913, free call 1800 114 311 or phoebea@mgnsw.org.au to discuss your project and obtain an application form.

Engraving On The Walls Of Hartley Courthouse

Source: The zine by people interested in museums, galleries and collections  for people interested in museums, galleries and collections.

Perspex Display Plinths for Sale!

A range of perspex support plinths used for jewellery display are available for purchase! There are various sizes ranging from 40 x 45 x 9cm to smaller plinths at 15 x 15 x 15cm. All are made from 3mm acrylic perspex, most in frosted white and others in satin black.

In addition, there are a collection of clear thick perspex shelves also available, large sizes at 40 x 178 x 1cm and small sizes at 40 x 118 x 1cm. Prices range from $10 - $35.

Contact: Jasmin Dessmann at e: jasmind@mgnsw.org.au or ph: (02) 9339 9906 for a full list of details or more information.

Source: Museums and Galleries NSW- Alert! 7 September 2011

History Week 2011

History Week is only days away!
Have you received your FREE History Week 2011 Programme? Contact the History Council if you would like one.
Visit www.historyweek.com.au to view the full Programme of events.
History Week 2011: Eat History runs from Saturday 3 September until Sunday 11 September.

Are you a fan?
History Week is on Facebook and Twitter!
Like History Week on Facebook and follow History Week on Twitter.

Recipes Through Time Competition :: WIN two tickets to Tony Bilson’s The Art of Living in Australia History Week dinner
Weekends  with Simon Marnie is has giving one lucky couple the chance to win a dinner for two at Bilson’s Restaurant in Sydney. 
Weekends is looking for a recipe that's survived time - It can be a favourite from the CWA's 1940s cookbook, or it can be an old Convict Recipe you've tried (Kangaroo tail soup perhaps) Maybe your Great Nan's Impossible Pie, Grand-dad Bill's rabbit stew or Aunty Krissoula's Fasolada.
To enter, email your recipe to simon@your.abc.net.au.
Entries close: 31 August at 5:00pm. For more details visit the ABC702 Weekends website.

Mrs H. F. Wicken –  EAT History Poster girl

Have you seen Mrs H.F. Wicken around Sydney?
Harriett Frances Wicken (1847–1937) is History Week’s poster girl for Eat History.
Mrs Wicken’s many books including Kingswood Cookery Book (1895) is full of fantastic tips regarding nutrition and recipes including ‘Imitation Sweetbreads’ which features in her poster (left).You can read all about her fascinating life in the Australian Dictionary of Biography article:Harriett Frances Wicken, written by Beverley Kingston. 
Become Harriet’s Friend on Facebook!
Harriet is on facebook! To add her login to Facebook and search ‘Harriet Frances Wicken’ or go to http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002748645337.
NB: Harriet changed the spelling of her name from Harriett to Harriet when she moved to Australia from England in 1884. This is why her name is spelt ‘Harriet’ not ‘Harriett’ on Facebook.

Source: [Enews] This month in history... 31 August 2011

IMAGinE awards 2011 - inspiring museums & galleries in excellence

The IMAGinE awards are an annual event that strengthen and promote the NSW and ACT museum and gallery sector by celebrating the wonderful institutions, collections, exhibitions, education programs, outreach projects and individuals that make up our industry.

With the awards closing date fast approaching on Tuesday 30 August, now is the time to get those nominations in! Don’t miss out on the opportunity to create great exposure for your organisation and gain recognition amongst the museum and gallery sector. Past awards winners have used their success to gain media coverage, raise the profile of their museum or gallery in their community and as an advocacy tool to funding bodies.

You can nominate for Collection Management, Exhibitions & Public Engagement, Education & Audience Development and Individual Achievement. These categories are broken down into four sections depending on the size of your organisation.

Nomination forms can be downloaded from the M&G NSW website: http://mgnsw.org.au/sector_development/imagine_awards_2011/

Nominations close on Tuesday, 30 August 2011 (nominations postmarked with this date will also be accepted). Winners will be announced at a gala event to be held at the Australian Museum on the evening of Friday 30 September.

The IMAGinE awards are presented by Museums & Galleries NSW in partnership with Regional & Public Galleries NSW, Museums Australia NSW and Museums Australia ACT.

Source: can-notices newsletter

Update: Digital camera in the reading room at State Records

It was some time ago now but you might remember the post we wrote in April 2010 asking your opinion on providing a digital camera in the reading rooms for researchers to use. We received some great advice and suggestions in that post on the possible pros and cons and we are happy to announce there is now a digital camera up and running in the Kingswood reading room.

The set-up is slightly different to what was initially imagined:

• a DSLR instead of a point-and-shoot, and
• instead of selling memory cards, a USB is the key to researchers taking digital copies (bring one in or buy one over the counter).

We hope this new, free service will be as useful to our researchers as that at the Public Records Office of Victoria (now with two cameras in the reading room and one recently installed at their Ballarat office).

The USB stick can also be used in conjunction with another digital services now provided in our reading room-  researchers can now make digital copies from fiche or film.

Source: State Records NSW 

Museums and Galleries NSW Grants

Closing anytime up until 30 September 2011: Volunteer Initiated Museums (VIM) Grants - VIM Skills Initiatives Grants

Provides funding to volunteer museums, museum networks and Keeping Places for regional or state-focused skills development training and networking events. More

DIGITISATION AT THE STATE LIBRARY

Museums Australia NSW Tour and Talk
Wednesday 7 September 2011 4pm

Scott Wajon will lead a tour of the State Library's digitisation facilities and discuss the library's digitisation strategies, management of resources and technical questions. 

State Library of NSW
Macquarie Street, Sydney

http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/

Meeting point: Mitchell Library steps, opposite the Royal Botanic Gardens.

Get together after at the
Nippon Australia New Zealand Club
229 Macquarie St, Sydney

RSVP
The event is free, but bookings are essential and places are strictly limited.
Please send RSVPs by Monday 5 September to:

Paul Bentley
Executive Officer
Museums Australia (NSW)
Phone: 02 9387 7307
Mobile: 0416 121 347

pbentley@idx.com.au

Web: www.museumsaustralia.org.au/nsw

Regional museums in an online future

Getting it into the ether

We distributed draft information sheets on some of the essentials — developing web- sites with little money, social media, systems, standards and other topics. Ingrid Mason, from the Collections Australia Network, and Joy Suliman, from the Powerhouse Museum‘s ThinkSpace, led us through some of the fundamentals of creating sites and using social media. The branch will be using the sheets and suggestions at the conference, among other sources, in developing printed and online publications and as touchstones for future workshops.

To get a better understanding of online approaches by museums in New South Wales, we invited a few colleagues to talk to us about their experiences.

Maree Clutterbuck, Collections Manager, Sydney University Museums, outlined the development of a more integrated approach to managing cataloguing records in the 3 public museums and 50 smaller department museums at the oldest university in Australia (www.usyd.edu.au/museums/). The museums purchased KE EMu in 2006 to replace a number of separate systems. Cataloguing policy questions revolved around the fact that the museums primarily serve university staff and students rather than the general public. Opening access to some materials called for circumspection. These questions and data migration issues have now been resolved and the catalogue is expected to be available on the museums‘ website soon.

Geoff Barker has been working on a total asset management (TAM) project at the Powerhouse Museum (www.powerhouse museum.com). The museum has an international reputation for innovative use of technology. Its catalogue is a richly layered presentation of catalogue records and images of museum objects, comple- mented with links to user tags, related subjects, similar objects, auto-generated tags and sources such as Wikipedia, WorldCat records and the Library of Congress Authority File.

The TAM project is an externally funded project which is working on collections and objects whose current storage, age, and state of documentation is exposing them to risk. As well as addressing this primary objective, Geoff has been exploring options for improving the quality of data and enhancing the online experience. As better elements — significance state- ments, themes, images, tags and links — are generated, these are harvested automatically monthly from KE EMu database into the museum‘s server. This has significantly improved searching. It has also highlighted different practices of different depart- ments within the museum — such as the archive. This in turn may lead to breaking down some of the walls between them..

Other notable online strategies by the museum include use of Flickr to publish images and uploading content to other government projects—such as About New South Wales (about. nsw.gov.au/). Its Australian Dress Register (www.powerhouse museum.com/dressregister/) is expected to be launched as a public site this year. The museum's partner- ships on the Sydney Sidetracks web- site (www.abc.net.au/innovation/ sidetracks/) and the Dictionary of Sydney (www.dictionaryofsydney. org/) are indications of wider collaboration.

Read more . . .

Source: Museum Matters Vol 19 no 1 July 2010

Collection Management Workshop

Saturday, 17^th September 2011 to be held at the Kandos Bicentennial Museum

The Central Tablelands Chapter of Museums Australia NSW in conjunction with the Mid-Western Regional Council will be conducting a Project Day - 9.30am to 3.30pm. 

This workshop will be on ‘Collection Management’ and presented by a representative from the Powerhouse Museum.  The workshop is free to all financial members of the Chapter.

Cost for lunch and morning tea is $15.00 payable on the day.  

Please register your attendance to the Secretary, John Broadley by Friday, 9^th September 2011,  02.6372 3365 or 0429 708 218 or jb@johnbroadleyheritage.com

Edmund Capon AM OBE to retire as director of Art Gallery of NSW

Director to retire

Edmund Capon AM OBE to retire as director of Art Gallery of NSW after 33 years

3 August 2011

Edmund Capon AM OBE will retire as director of the Art Gallery of NSW at the end of this year after 33 years in the role.

The President of the Board of Trustees of the Gallery, Mr Steven Lowy AM, made the announcement today at a media conference with the Premier, Mr O’Farrell, and Mr Capon.

Mr Lowy said Mr Capon’s service to the Gallery and the cultural life of Australia had been extraordinary.

“Rarely, if ever, has a single person so embodied the spirit and ambition of an institution as has Edmund with the Art Gallery of NSW,” he said.

“Edmund’s achievements are many, but his single most significant achievement has been to make good on the goal he set for the Gallery soon after he was appointed in 1978.

“Back then, Edmund made it clear he wanted the Gallery to pursue quality and not, to use his words at the time, ‘a broad expansion of all areas at a mediocre level.’

“As we look around the Gallery today, and reflect on all that has happened under Edmund’s leadership, there can be no doubt that he has more than fulfilled that early ambition.”

Mr Lowy said Mr Capon’s more notable achievements were to:

• create a sustainable funding base for the Gallery, primarily by establishing the Art Gallery of NSW Foundation in 1983 to raise and invest money for the purchase of major art works.
• make the Gallery more accessible and more popular. In 1978 there were around 300,000 admissions. In 2010-11 there are 1.3 million, an incredible result even allowing for natural growth.
• maintain and improve the quality of the collection, including major acquisitions such as Bords de la Marne by Paul Cézanne, Nude in a rocking chair by Pablo Picasso, Three bathers by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Five bells by John Olsen, First-class marksman by Sidney Nolan, Three studies from the Temeraire by Cy Twombly, Standing Buddha, China Sui dynasty, Waterbrain by Rusty Peters and Haft by Anthony Gormley.
• stage quality major exhibitions, including The Chinese Exhibition, Gold of the Pharaohs, Masterpieces from the Guggenheim New York, Michelangelo to Matisse: Drawing the Figure, Jeffrey Smart, Papunya Tula: Genesis and Genius, Caravaggio and his world: darkness & light, Pissarro: the first Impressionist, Bill Henson, Giacometti: sculptures prints & drawings from the Maeght Foundation, The Arts of Islam: Treasures from the Nasser D Khalili collection, The Lost Buddhas and The First Emperor: China’s entombed warriors.
• double the Gallery in 1988 with the new Bicentennial wing, opened the Asian gallery in 1990 and expanded it in 2003, created the new contemporary galleries including the John Kaldor Family Gallery in 2011.
• create a purpose-built collection store to safely house the Gallery’s growing collection and free up more public space within the Gallery for exhibition.
• build the Asian collection and Asian exhibition program.
• grow a thriving Gallery membership which now stands at 30,000 members.
• develop an engaging, accessible public programs including the unique Art After Hours program.
• triple the collection from 10,000 to 30,000 works and now valued at $825 million.
• publish scholarly collection books and exhibition catalogues for national and international distribution.

Mr Lowy said that listing Mr Capon’s achievements did not fully describe the impact he has made on the Gallery and the city of Sydney.

“Under his direction the Gallery has built a collection of quality and has a committed and highly motivated professional staff.

“But Edmund has made the Gallery greater than the sum of its parts. He has weaved a certain magic in the way he’s nurtured the institution over the years.

“He has made the life of the Gallery something that the community feels part of and is proud of.

“Quite simply, the Art Gallery of NSW is one of the most treasured institutions in Australia, and especially in Sydney, and Edmund deserves most of the credit for that.”

Mr Lowy said it had been a privilege for him as President of the Board of Trustees to have had the opportunity to work with Mr Capon over the past six years.

“It has been the great good fortune of the Board of Trustees to have overseen the governance of the Gallery while Edmund has been at the helm.

“His expertise, and the stability and continuity provided by his many years of dedicated service, have made the role of everyone associated with the Gallery that much more pleasurable as well as productive.

“It is fitting that we are able to coincide Edmund’s departure from the Gallery with the upcoming Picasso exhibition – a stellar exhibition for Edmund to sign off on a stellar career.”

Mr Lowy said the Trustees would immediately establish a process to select Mr Capon’s successor, including a global search to identify suitable candidates.

Source: 

Capturing Memories – Oral History in the Digital Age

Presented by Oral History Association of Australia NSW in conjunction with the Royal Australian Historical Society NSW

A practical workshop on Oral History theory and practice with experienced oral historians Trish Levido and Carol McKirdy. Participate in a guided practical exercise of an undertaking an oral history interview.  Topics covered include choosing and using a digital recorder, downloading recordings to computer, editing using Audacity free access software, saving sound files, burning to disc and transfer to other storage mediums.

When: Saturday, 27 August 2011 from 9.45 am to 4.30 pm
Where: History House, 133 Macquarie Street, Sydney
Cost: $50 please bring lunch
Bookings essential as numbers limited through Royal Australian Historical Society (02) 9247.8001 or download registration flyer at www.ohaansw.org.au/article/workshop
Email for enquiries: ohaansw@hotmail.com
Contact: Trish Levido (02) 9969 5177

Source: Museums & Galleries NSW - Alert!

Artist immortalised Hill End - Margaret Olley

The passing of still life extraordinaire Margaret Olley earlier this week signalled not only the loss of one of Australia’s most prolific painters, but also one of the Hill End community’s greatest artistic inspirations.

During her years as a young woman in her spiritual home of Sydney, ‘Oll’ or ‘Olley’ as she was known to her friends, began what would become a 40-year-long friendship with fellow artist Donald Friend, leading to her discovery of the historic gold mining town where he lived.

Olley spent much of 1948 visiting Friend in his tiny cottage on the corner of a little lane and the main road leading into the town, completing painting expeditions around the area which she described as “like walking on history”.

“In those days you could feel the presence of ghosts at Hill End,” she once wrote.

“You felt you were in the shadow of all those thousands of people who had lived there when Hill End was a thriving big town and the Holtermann nugget, the biggest nugget ever mined, came to light nearby.”

Her adventures with Friend carved Olley’s name in history as one of the colony of visiting creatives who moulded Hill End into a hub of artistic talent, including Russel Drysdale, Jean Bellette, Paul Haefliger, David Strachan and Jeffrey Smart.

A second wave of artists - John Olsen, John Firth-Smith, Brett Whitely and others - then followed, as did a host of contemporary artists who spent time at Haefliger’s Cottage in the 1990s.

Always an improviser, Olley learnt to deal with Hill End’s cold winters by strapping a hot water bottle onto her stomach before going out to collect tiles from the town’s old buildings which the pair used to mosaic the oven in Murray Cottage – now the base studio of the Hill End Artists in Residence (HEAIR) program.

 “Donald Friend did a watercolour of that oven – it’s really lovely to know that it’s still standing there now,” said Bathurst Regional Art Gallery curator and program coordinator Sarah Gurich.

“She was a great supporter of arts in Australia and a great mentor to younger artists and through her work she will continue to be.”

As for the rest of her Hill End artworks, “some were exhibited, others were probably never finished or painted over in some drunken moment” according to Olley.

The most iconic, however, including Hill End Ruins and Back Buildings Hill End, became the focus of Paintings of Hill End - a 1996 NSW Art Gallery exhibition curated by HEAIR program creator Gavin Wilson, who described Olley as a woman with a “spirited sense of independence”.

“She had a gift, she loathed humbug and she responded to true talent,” he said.

“She wanted the public who appreciated art to see the very best of what was available.

“Degas, Cezanne, Morandi – these are all incredible works that wouldn’t have arrived in Australia if she hadn’t of had the generosity of spirit to make it happen.”

As the only artist to be painted for two Archibald Prize-winning works in 1948 (William Dobell) and 2011 (Ben Quilty), Olley once told Wilson that she was “bookended”.

“She had Bill at one end and Ben at the other and she loved the idea of that,” Mr Wilson said.

“It was fitting to see her recognised in her final year – I think she must have somehow known her time was close.”

Mr Wilson said Olley was fortunate enough to pass away “in the place that she loved the most”.
“She died in her house, in her studio and in her sleep, surrounded by her paintings,” he said.

“What a way for her to go.

Source: Mudgee Guardian 29 Jul 2011

Digital copiers in the reading rooms at State Records NSW

We are pleased to be offering researchers visiting the reading rooms an exciting new service. You will now have the option of downloading copies of records from microfilm, microfiche and aperture card on to a memory stick, rather than making photocopies.

This service is now available for researchers visiting both reading rooms:

• 2 Globe Street, The Rocks
• 143 O'Connell Street, Kingswood

The machines are free to access and use, but you will need to bring your own USB memory sticks (we'll have a supply for sale shortly). Photocopying from microfilm, microfiche and aperture card will continue to be available for a fee.

Source: State Records NSW

The Royal Australian Historical Society Appoint a New Chief Executive Officer

Emeritus Professor David Carment, President of the Royal Australian Historical Society (RAHS) today announced the appointment of Maria Walsh as RAHS Chief Executive Officer.

Professor Carment said, 'As the outstanding candidate in a highly competitive selection process, I am delighted Maria Walsh has agreed to join us in the newly-created role of Chief Executive Officer of the Society.

“Her appointment follows the 2010 RAHS Organisational Review. With a wealth of experience in both the not-for-profit and corporate sectors, Maria brings to the Society the leadership skills to take us into the next phase of our development.”

Further information: http://www.rahs.org.au/

Source:  Museums & Galleries - Alert!

Esme Martens: making history in local government

On the ASHET weekend tour to Glen Davis, Kandos and Rylstone earlier this year we met Esme Martens, President of the Kandos Museum Committee. Esme has made history as a woman engineer in Australian local government over a career of so far 47 years and still going.

In her engineering course at the University of Queensland Esme was the only woman among 600 male students. When she graduated in 1962 in Civil Engineering in 1962 it was some time before she was able to find a position as an engineer but eventually fond one with the Department of Main Roads where a part of her duties was considered to be making tea for the male staff. She was soon appointed foreman of a construction crew in central Queensland constructing culverts and doing road work. Seeing little future with main Roads, she moved to New South Wales to work as an engineer with the Tweed Shire in Murwillumbah.

At the age of 27 she was appointed Shire Engineer of Woodburn Shire at Coraki, the first woman to be appointed to a Shire Engineer position in Australia. The Town Clerk told the Council they had gone stark raving mad appointing a woman. A few years later after the Town Clerk’s wife died and he had retired he married the young Shire Engineer. The position of Shire engineer at Woodburn disappeared with amalgamation of the shire and rather than accept a position as deputy in the amalgamated shire, Esme found a Shire Engineer position at Rylstone which she held for 18 years.

She took a leading part in community affairs and was Chairman of the Rylstone Hospital Board for many years. She was honoured with an AM and nominated a bicentennial woman of the year in 1988. Over the years Esme has continued to study and has earned a degree in economics a diploma in front line management and a university certificate in construction management.

Now retired from engineering, she runs the farm at Running Stream since her partner died in 2006. She was elected to the Mid Western Regional Council based in Mudgee in 2006 and re-elected in 2008.

Source:  Newsletter of the Australian Society for History of Engineering and Technology, July 2911

Connecting:// Arts Audiences Online

On 5 July arts organisations came together at the Patrick White Room to find out how audiences are engaging with the arts online.

The presentation featured research findings, best practice case studies and highlighted some of the new resources. The research findings were often surprising and began by looking at the 6 stages of uses of internet. They were:

     * Awareness- audiences became aware of the event online.
     * Research- audiences then researched the event online to decide whether or not it interested them.
     * Booking- they booked/purchased tickets online.
     * Planning- they planned other things to do around the event for example organising dinner/drinks.
     * During the event- they communicated online during the event using mobile devices.
     * Sharing- after the event they shared their experiences on twitter, facebook and other sharing sites.

These findings supplied endless opportunities for arts organisations to 'connect the dots' between real and virtual experiences. They also confirmed that making innovative use of online experiences assited in gaining arts organisations attention, it helped encourage recommendation through use of 'word of mouth', enriching educational experiences; particularly regarding access to information both during the experience and after, and offered opportunity for one on one personalised engagement. It also highligted the importance of making it easy to access information and share online, particularly for younger generations who are more likely to embrace new technology to enhance their own experience.  

Further Information: http://connectarts.australiacouncil.gov.au/

Source:  Museums & Galleries NSW - Alert!

"Heritage listing explained - what it means for you"

Hi networkers,

Please click the following link to see the newly updated online publication "Heritage Listing Explained - What it means for you":

http://www.heritage.nsw.gov.au/docs/references/HeritageListing2010FINAL_.pdf

Or download "Heritage Listing Explained" from the Publications or Listings pages on the Heritage Branch website: www.heritage.nsw.gov.au

What's new...

Compared to its first publication late last year, changes in this 2011 update include:

* a new name to make it easier to find when searching online; and
* replacing the 343 George Street photos (thanks to Margaret from City of Sydney, Graham Brooks and Associates and Burberry for the photos).

This publication replaces the 10 year old Heritage Office "Benefits of heritage listing" brochure, which has now been removed from the website to avoid confusion. Note that this new publication is not only an Heritage Office/Branch production like the older one, but has also been endorsed by the Heritage Council of NSW.

What it's about...

This short publication describes the effects and benefits of heritage listing in NSW in plain language to help community understanding. It has been produced especially for use by owners and local councils. Both local and state statutory listing are covered by the same publication so it applies across NSW. Demystifying listing in this way aims to establish reasonable expectations, perceptions and support from owners, and thereby the wider community.

It goes beyond the usual heritage listing subject matter. The findings from studies on economic effects, sustainability, and practical tips for changing heritage places are all covered. The myths and facts table at the end responds to the common misunderstandings and fears about listing.

As distinct from a technical guide about the listing process and principles (aka the Heritage Manual), this publication concentrates on commonly asked questions from owners or people outside the heritage profession. While it is endorsed as a Heritage Council of NSW publication, this publication has no impact on heritage practice in terms of changing or directing the listing/approvals process and principles. For these, continue to use the relevant technical material and guides: Heritage Council's "Assessing Heritage Significance", ICOMOS Burra Charter, Council's local environmental plans and development control plans, and the Heritage and EP&A Acts.

Illustrations are used to showcase adaptations (from available photographs) and reinforce the message that listing does not prevent change. It's a pity I couldn't use a larger diversity of adaptation examples, but I did give you all the chance! You can upload your pics for consideration for future publications at: http://www.flickr.com/groups/nswheritage/

Free for you to circulate...

Please feel free to use and distribute this publication, preferably using the above web link instead of a printed copy or email attachment, where possible. This will make sure you access the latest version. It will also help with my goal to get this publication - and it's positive, hopefully clear, messages - to the top of the google hits for online searches about listing...

Kind regards,
Claudine

Claudine Loffi
Heritage Officer
NSW heritage advisors network moderator
Office of Environment and Heritage
Department of Premier and Cabinet

Locked Bag 5020 Parramatta NSW 2124
3 Marist Place Parramatta
T: 9873 8590
F: 9873 8599
www.heritage.nsw.gov.au

Source:  Email from Claudine Loffi

The Power of Open: Stories of creators sharing knowledge, art, & data

The Power of Open: Stories of creators sharing knowledge, art, & data using Creative Commons

Jane Park, June 24th, 2011

Since last fall, we’ve been talking at length to various creators about their CC stories—the impact Creative Commons has had on their lives and in their respective fields, whether that’s in art, education, science, or industry. We are thrilled to announce that we have cultivated the most compelling of these stories and woven them together into a book called The Power of Open. The stories in The Power of Open demonstrate the breadth of CC uses across fields and the creativity of the individuals and organizations that have chosen to share their work via Creative Commons licenses and tools.

The Power of Open is available for free download at http://thepowerofopen.org under the CC Attribution license. It is available in several languages, with more translated versions to come. You can also order hard copies from Lulu. We hope that it inspires you to examine and embrace the practice of open licensing so that your contributions to the global intellectual commons can provide their greatest benefit to all people.

We could not have produced this work without the support of all of our creators, many of whom began telling their stories at our Case Studies wiki project, which we encourage you to contribute to—as your story may also be highlighted in publications like The Power of Open!



We would also like to extend deepest thanks to our sponsors, without which this book would just be a bunch of undeveloped stories sitting on a wiki. Thanks to Google, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Mozilla, JISC, PLoS (Public Library of Science), Omidyar Network, Open Society Foundations, the New America Foundation, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Microsoft, Microsoft Research, MacMillan, Wellcome Trust, ict Qatar, loftwork, FGV Direito Rio, faberNovel, and Silicon Sentier!

Launch Events

But that’s not all—The Power of Open is launching with events around the world! The official launch is June 29 at The New America Foundation in Washington D.C., featuring Global Voices Online and IntraHealth, with CC CEO Cathy Casserly representing for staff. Additionally, the first event already took place on June 16 in Tokyo, Japan, with Creative Commons Chairperson Joi Ito introducing the book to the Asia/Pacific region. For the full list of events taking place in Brussels, Rio de Janeiro, London, and Paris, head on over to the http://thepowerofopen.org.

Keep up-to-date on the launch events by using the tag #powerofopen on social media.

Invitation to particpate in survey on the development of a Regional Museum in Orange

Fun at the Farm - Elizabeth Farm

Go and explore the original Homestead of John and Elizabeth Macarthur at the centre of what was once a very large farm! Activities will include exploring the oldest house in Australia, playing games, creating patterns using natural materials and even making and flying a kite!
 
Craftmaking materials and childrens refreshments (cordial, biscuits and various fruit pieces) are included in the ticket price.

When: Tuesday 12 July 11.00am — 12.30pm
Where: Elizabeth Farm, 70 Alice Street, Rosehill, NSW 2142
Cost: General/concession $12
Contact: ph: (02) 8239 2211

Source:  Museum & Galleries - Alert!

Old Gippstown Cataloguers

Happy Cataloguing New Year

Not only is it the start of the New Financial Year, it is also a time whereby the Collection Management Team stops and takes stock of its stats.

But first, here is one of the photographs that we have catalogued recently - babies are a bit on our minds.

We would like to think this is a first photograph of Dr J.M.Andrew of Yallourn - but we are not quite sure. But we do like the pram.

Now to the serious stuff - the stats.

Last year, at this time, we had 7763 items in our catalogue. This year we have 8361, an increase of 598. Of those items, 5274 have a photograph attached to the record. Overall pretty jolly good. We have a team of eight specialists - five who catalogue, a specialist curator, a specialist photographer and a very specialist logistics. We could not survive without logistics! Plus a couple of "associates" like Rob and Glenn, who we almost count as ours.

Well done, Team.

Mulga Bill Bicycle Festival Yeoval

Click on image to view

CENTRAL TABLELANDS CHAPTER MUSEUMS AUSTRALIA - AGM 2011 - Minutes

CENTRAL TABLELANDS CHAPTER

MUSEUMS AUSTRALIA

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Saturday, 14^th May 2011

CWA Rooms, 48 Market Street, Mudgee

Hosted by: Mudgee Historical Society Inc.

Meeting commenced at 2.05pm

PRESENT

Carcoar Hospital Museum                            Greg & Margaret Hahn

Hartley                                                             Kristie Kearney

Kandos Bicentennial Industrial Museum     Peg Butler, Noel Costello, Marie Ford,

                                                                          Colin Jones, Bob Tomlinson,

                                                                          Ivy Tomlinson.                                              

Millthorpe & District Historical Society      Rosemarie Amos, Hilton Gay,

                                                                          Elaine Kaldy, Trevor Pascoe.

Mudgee Historical Society                             Pauline Bassingthwaighte, John Broadley,    

                                                                          Thelma Meers, Mary Mills.

Orange & District Historical Society           Phil Stevenson, Julie Sykes.

Rylstone & District Historical Society         Sue Carter

• WELCOME   - The President, Trevor Pascoe welcomed and thanked everyone for attending the Annual Meeting. He also thanked the Mudgee Historical Society for hosting the Social Day. He extended a special thanks to John Broadley for conducting a walking tour of the historic Catholic and Anglican Churches and his power point presentation on the ‘History of Mudgee and its Buildings’.

• APOLOGIES – Rhonda Jones (Blayney Family History Group), Marie Hammond (Molong Historical Society), Deidre Robinson (Rockley Mill Museum), Pam O’Connor &  Esme Martens (Kandos Bicentennial Museum), Kerry Guerin & Donna Smith (Lithgow Small Arms Museum), Sue Milne, Elizabeth Griffin, Jo Keniry (Orange Historical Society), Samantha Friend (Bathurst Historical Society), Simon Jones (Western Regional Council / Kandos Bicentennial Museum), Wal Pilz (Individual Member)

                 Moved by Phil Stevenon that the apologies be accepted. 

                 Seconded: Bob Tomlinson

• IMPROVING  COMMUNICATIONS  - The President reported that a problem still exists with communicating between the Societies and the Chapter executive when organizing events. He reported that 40 letters had been sent for the Notice of the Annual Meeting and apart from the executive representatives from Orange & Millthorpe and the hosts at Mudgee Historical Society, only two replies had been received by the end of April. The President reported that the past two events had been well attended and thoroughly enjoyed by all participants. Due to the disappointing response for the Annual Meeting and Social Day, the President rang a number of Societies to see if they would be sending delegates. The President requested that the Secretary and President of each Society pay special attention to responding to our events and to fill in details about their Societies, such as Office Bearers, email addresses and other information. The President mentioned some other ideas on improving communication in receiving more email addresses from members and participating in a blog set up by Wal Pilz who has kindly offered to place details of Chapter activities on this blog. The blog can be found at rkdhistory.blogspot.com . Another site where information on the Chapter will be placed is www.centralnswmuseums.com.au

• APPROVAL OF MINUTES  - from the AGM held on Saturday, 15^th May 2010 at Millthorpe.Museum.

Moved by Elaine Kaldy that the printed minutes were an accurate record of the last Annual Meeting. Seconded: Pauline Bassingthwaite

·      PRESIDENTS REPORT

The President presented the Fifth Annual Report for the Central Tablelands Chapter from May 2010 to May 2011. He reported that the past year remained an extremely challenging time for Office Bearers to keep the Chapter alive. He asked members to continue their valued support of the Chapter for the coming year.

The President reported on two successful Chapter events for the year. The first event was the Social Day and Annual Meeting on Saturday, 15^th May 2010 at the Millthorpe Museum hosted by the Millthorpe and Orange Historical Societies. The main item on the Annual Meeting agenda was the decision on the future of the Central Tablelands Chapter. The 32 delegates from 10 Societies gave overwhelming support for the continuation of the Central Tablelands Chapter. Paul Bentley from Museums Australia NSW was invited as guest speaker, who spoke about the benefits of having an active Chapter operating on the Central Tablelands.

 After the election of the following Office Bearers -  (President)Trevor Pascoe   (Millthorpe), Vice-President – Phil Stevenson (Orange), Secretary – Sue Milne (Orange), Treasurer – Elizabeth Griffin (Orange), Chapter Coordinator – Samantha Friend (Bathurst), the meeting adjourned for a luncheon on the Pioneers Gallery Verandah at the Millthorpe Golden Memories Museum and an afternoon tour of the historic Byng Cornish Settlement conducted by Elizabeth Griffin.

The second event was a Project Day hosted by the Kandos Bicentennial Museum in August 2010. The workshop focussed on Museum Exhibition Development and was conducted by Colin Jones. It was a well attended workshop with 31 participants from 9 Societies.

The President reported that all members of the Central Tablelands Chapter were given free memberships for 2010, but from the 1^st January, memberships fell due for 2011 at $35 for each Society and $5 for individual memberships.

Memberships had been received from 10 Historical Societies and three individual memberships. Although an encouraging support, there were many outstanding memberships. There are over 30 Museums on the Central Tablelands, but more encouragement is required to get their active involvement and attendance at events.

The President extended his thanks to the outgoing Committee with a special thanks to the Secretary, Sue Milne. He commended her efficiency in keeping meeting records, organizing events and maintaining membership lists since her election in 2007. He specially thanked the Treasurer, Elizabeth Griffin for her strong support of the Chapter since 2006, managing the finances from 2006 – 2011 and as Secretary in 2006. On behalf of the Chapter he thanked both Sue and Elizabeth for their interest and active involvement in the Chapter for the past 5 years. The President also extended his thanks to Vice President Phil Stevenson, for his positive support of the Chapter.

Samantha Friend was unable to attend the Annual Chapter Representatives Meeting in Sydney. Wal Pilz  represented the Central Tablelands Chapter at the NSW Museums Australia Symposium and Chapter Representatives Meeting at Macquarie University on the 18^th and 19^th April.

The President thanked members for their attendance and to the Mudgee Historical Society for hosting the Annual Meeting and Social Day. He concluded by encouraging all delegates to continue their support of the Chapter. He hoped that the Central Tablelands could create an active network meeting the needs of all its members.

Moved by Colin Jones for the acceptance of the President’s Report.

Seconded: Bob Tomlinson  

·      TREASURERS REPORT

The Treasurer, Elizabeth Griffin presented the following Financial Report for the Chapter:

Balance to Central Banking 2009                                     $ 1,611.05

Less Cost of 2010 AGM                                                         185.75

            Balance                                                                                 1,425.30

            Income

            Memberships                                                                           365.00

            Balance                                                                                 1,790.30

            Expenses

            Kandos Workshop Colin Jones                                               200.00

            Hall Rent                                                                                   90.00

            Balance in Account                                                               1,500.30

            Outstanding Payment for stamps & ink                                   110.00

            Balance after payment                                                           1,390.30

            Moved by Margaret Hahn for the adoption of the Treasurer’s Report.

            Seconded: Noel Costello

·      COORDINATORS REPORT

Wal Pilz was the stand-in- delegate for the Chapter and presented a written report for his attendance at the Museums Australia (NSW) Symposium and Chapter Representative’s Meeting on the 18^th & 19^th April.

In his report he outlined the addresses given by keynote speakers at the Symposium – Professor Amareswar Galla who emphasized that Museums should represent a multicultural Australian Society. He mentioned that digital heritage should be kept for future generations. The other keynote speaker Alec Coles spoke about the need for improved standards of Museums and not just their collections.

Wal reported on the Chapters Representatives Meeting and the election of MANSW Office Bearers with Andrew Simpson elected as President. Other speakers at the Representatives Meeting were Tamara Hyde (Small grants), Paul Bentley (Branch and Branch Reports), Lee Scott (New tools for Chapters to manage their accounts), Laura Miles (National Standards & Accreditation scheme), Carly Todhunter (Collaborative Cataloguing) and Bill Storer (Action Plans for Museums)

Moved by Julie Sykes for the adoption of the Coordinator’s Report.

Seconded: Kristie Kearney

·      ELECTION OF OFFICE BEARERS FOR 2011 – 2012

All positions were declared vacant. The President vacated the chair and Colin Jones was invited to act as presiding officer for the election of Office Bearers and the Setting of Fees for the next year.

Nomination for PRESIDENT                         Trevor Pascoe

By Margaret Hahn      Seconded: John Broadley                Unopposed        Carried

Nomination for VICE PRESIDENT             Elaine Kaldy

By Phil Stevenson         Seconded: Kristy Kearney            Unopposed        Carried

Nomination for SECRETARY                      John Broadley

By Trevor Pascoe          Seconded: Noel Costello               Unopposed        Carried

Nomination for TREASURER                      Phil Stevenson

By Elaine Kaldy            Seconded: Ivy Tomlinson              Unopposed       Carried

Nomination for DELEGATE  / CHAPTER REPRESENTATIVE

Self nominated Kristie Kearney   Seconded: Noel Costello  Unopposed      Carried

·      SETTING OF FEES FOR 2011 -2012

Moved by Bob Tomlinson that fees remain the same as last years at $35 per Society and $5 for individual membership

Seconded: Noel Costello                              Motion Carried

The newly elected President resumed the chair.

·      EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES FOR 2011 / 2012

·      Project Day - at Kandos in August / September – date to be confirmed. It will be conducted by the Regional Outreach Program from Powerhouse Museum on Collection Management / Accessioning / De-accessioning. Mid-Western Council will assist in the subsidizing the event.

·      AGM & Social Day - will be held at Carcoar in April or May 2012 – date to be confirmed. It will be hosted by the Carcoar Hospital Museum and the Carcoar & District Historical Society.

·      Future Workshops – A discussion was held on future workshops which would meet the needs of members and also gives the opportunity for the executive to apply for funding or employ a Museum professional. Some suggestions were – Paper Conservation, Oral History, Preserving Fabrics and Clothing, Digitalisation, Indigenous History / Artifacts. The meeting was asked to submit other suggestions and the members would be surveyed to see which workshop would best suit Chapter members.

·      SOCIETIES UPDATES AND REPORTS

Members from each Society were asked to present a brief report on their recent activities at their Museum. An interesting collection of reports was given from each attending Society indicating the hard work that each organization is putting into preserving the history of their area on the Central Tablelands.

The President closed the Annual Meeting at 3.20pm

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