Meaning and significance

Recently Penrith Regional Gallery & The Lewers Bequest completed the significance assessment of their collection, following the receipt of a $4,000 Community Heritage Grant (CHG) last year.

If you’ve been to the Lewers Gallery site, you’ll know that the Lewers’ family home, its place beside the Nepean River, the sculptures and garden are all part of the fabulous package offered by the Regional Gallery, and an important piece of Australia’s mid-century modern art and design heritage.
 
The Gallery houses an extensive collection of modern art, some of it made by Margo and Gerald Lewers themselves, some of it collected by them. It holds significant examples of Australian Modernism in particular Abstraction, Constructivism and Minimalism. More recently the collection has been expanded to include contemporary works, with examples from Islander, Aboriginal and Western-Sydney artists such as Greg Semu, Brook Andrew and Justine Williams, as well as work generated through the gallery residency program

 
Statements of Significance determine the financial, social, cultural value and importance of an item or collection.

Dr Sally Watterson, an independent consultant, was engaged to evaluate the cultural significance of the Gallery and its permanent collection. Waterson’s role was to coordinate and manage the application of Significance 2.0, the federal policy document used to determine the importance of our cultural collections. Determining the significance of a cultural object—be it a single work of art, a historic building, or an entire collection—demands detailed investigation into the provenance—or chain of ownership—as well as considerable historical research into how one work of art interrelates with another and with other collections.

Statements of Significance determine the financial, social, cultural value and importance of an item or collection. Each statement presents an argument about how and why an object is important and underpins the policies around that object, prioritising them in terms of resources for curatorial, conservation, exhibition, research and access programs.

As part of the project, Collection Manager Dr Shirley Daborn attended an intensive preservation and collection management workshop held in Canberra. “While the CHG provides the funds, the workshop offers the expertise to help us protect the collection, while also assisting us with our ambition to increase our engagement with scholars, students and the general public interested in researching this fascinating period in history,” Daborn said.
 
Ms Anne-Marie Schwirtlich, Director-General of the National Library of Australia, a strong advocate of the CHG program, said: “It is all about working together to help spread the message that if we don’t preserve our history now, it could be lost forever. Through sharing this knowledge, the information can be taken back to the communities where it is most needed to ensure that local heritage collections are still there for future generations.”
 
Gallery Director, Dr Lee-Anne Hall said the significance assessment process was a crucial step in fully honouring the history of the Gallery as a centre of artist activity in the mid-century period. So now when you drop into the fabulous gallery by the river, you’ll know you are looking at a collection with real significance.

Ref: News from M&G NSW - 4 November 2015

This email is being sent to all listed member Historical Societies, Museums and Individuals of the Central Tablelands Chapter of Museums Australia (NSW Branch) and other interested persons.
If you know of other Societies, Museums or Individuals who would like to be added to the list, please email Wal Pilz with name, address, phone no. and email address. 

CONDUCTING SIGNIFICANCE ASSESSMENTS

Dr Roslyn Russell - Photograph courtesy: Dr Roslyn Russell

There will be something for everyone at the upcoming Conducting Significance Assessments Workshop, which is being held on 6 November 2014 at History House. This is an all-day workshop (10.00am – 3.30pm) and lunch is included in the $60.00 fee. It is being held in collaboration with the Professional Historians Association and the Australian Society of Archivists (NSW Branch).

We are most fortunate that historian and curator Dr Roslyn Russell who co-authored, with Kylie Winkworth, Significance 2.0: A guide to assessing the significance of collections (2009), the accepted methodology for significance assessment in Australia, will be presenting this workshop. Dr Russell has undertaken significance assessments of social history and visual arts collections and conducts workshops around Australia and overseas.

For historians and archivists wanting to develop new skills for their professional development this will be an opportunity to learn about significance assessment methodology and criteria and their applications in collection management. At the end of the day they will be ready to write a statement of significance for either a single object or an entire collection.

For the more experienced who have carried out significance assessments in the past, this will be an opportunity to hone your skills and contribute to the discussion.

If you are a member of an historical society planning to engage a consultant to undertake a Significance Assessment you will also find this workshop very helpful. You will receive lots of useful advice on the steps you will need to take in preparing for the assessment as well as the same guidance as the likely cost estimate and the format of the Significance Assessment report that you can expect to receive from the consultant.

Significance Assessment Workshop at The Lithgow Small Arms Factory

Ancient Order of the Druids collection that is part of the Nationally Significant Fraternal Societies collection
Golden Memories Museum in Millthorpe.

Hello to you all.

I have now arranged the Significance Assessment Workshop with Kylie Winkworth that was requested at our last meeting at Rockley. I have gained a Museums and Galleries NSW grant to pay for Kylie’s attendance.
 
Our Host will be The Lithgow Small Arms Factory, as offered.
 
They have arranged a sit down lunch of Roast Beef and various salads for a cost of $10, which also  include a substantial morning tea.
 
Agenda for the Day:
 
   *  9.30am to 10am:  morning tea and registration
 
   *  10am to 10.30am:  meeting to deal with housekeeping issues
 
   *  10.30 am:  workshop commences,
 
   *  Circa 3.30 pm:  workshop finishes
 
This is a wonderful opportunity to gain expert training in what relates to understanding significance objects in your collections the levels of those objects whether they are of local, regional State or possibly National Significance, and how collections of objects and archival material can form significant collections (as  in the photo above).
 
The understanding gained will help you protect your objects and collections. It will also help you gain skills that can be used when applying for grants to help conserve the objects or collections.
 
I look forward to seeing you all at Lithgow on the 21st of September. Please Register with John as soon as possible, as I have documents and a little homework for you to do before the workshop and the sooner you register the sooner we can pass on the documents.

 
 Kind Regards to you all
 
Elaine Kaldy
 
President CTC of MA

Workshop on understanding the significance of objects held in museum collections

Significance Statement Writing Workshop - Kandos Museum

 

  

Significance 2.0: a guide to assessing the significance of collections builds on the solid foundation laid by the first edition of Significance (2001) in defining an adaptable method for determining significance across all collections in Australia. Those who have been guided by this ‘significance method’ since 2001 report that this has translated into better decision-making about their collections in areas like preservation, physical and digital access, and funding support. 

This guide, Significance 2.0 can be viewed/downloaded here.

Collection Documentation and Significance Assessment - New grant programs

This initiative is commencing in 2013 and will enable community museums and keeping places to bring in specialists to work with volunteers on documentation and or significance assessment of objects and collections. Core projects include identifying significant objects, writing significance statements, cataloguing objects, digitally photographing objects and entering collection information into a database. This is an Arts NSW devolved funding program, administered by M&G NSW.

Amount: Up to $7,500
Closing: Tuesday 29 January 2013
More:  www.mgnsw.org.au

 Ref: M&G NSW News 19 December 2012

2012 Community Heritage Grants Now Open

Applications for the 2012 Community Heritage Grants are now open. Grants of up to $15,000 are available to community groups around the country to help preserve and manage locally held, nationally significant cultural heritage collections of documents and objects for future generations.

Projects supported include significance assessments, preservation needs assessments, conservation activities and collection management. Representatives from historical societies, museums, public libraries, archives and Indigenous and migrant community groups are encouraged to apply.

Find out more and apply online

Image: Mark Arbuz, Spray and Steam Iron Horse, 1981. Image from the Craft Australia National Historical Collection 

Image Bank, CHG recipients in 2010

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