Survive and Thrive

Survive and Thrive is a programme to help museums to improve their management and prepare better for the future. The initiative builds on the successful Sustainable Museums programme (see an evaluation below) and has three phases open to all museums. 

The deadline for expressions of interest has passed. The next deadline is 15 September.

Participants can choose from a menu of opportunities:

From good to great 
One and a half days of tailor-made activities to help museum Boards work better. The activities will be designed around the museum's needs and to suit members in terms of time and location. The time can be broken up in to short or longer sessions e.g. three half day sessions. The activities will use Inspiring Learning for All as a framework for the activities. 
  
Museums could achieve:

• An annual planning cycle helping to apply business skills
• An outline and ideas for a 2009/10 museum plan
• Better understanding of what the Board or Trustees need to make happen
• Confidence to advocate and fundraise effectively

Individual solutions
These individual sessions will help museums tackle particular issues in depth, including attracting new volunteers, project management, advice on marketing or web content.

Museums’ doors to the future
Support and development for the longer term through sessions designed to meet the needs of individual museums. The programme could include mentoring, work shadowing or practical help to solve a particular longer term issue e.g. on collections management.

Nobody does it better  
Five days have been set aside for sessions to help with best practice in museums.  They will be on themes identified by museums as important to them and will be run at venues across the East Midlands to make access easier.

How to apply
An expression of interest form is available to download below or alternatively can be obtained from your museum development officer. Please note: individual solutions cannot be directly applied for, but can arise from participation in one of the other three types of opportunity.

Survive and Thrive will be run in three phases:

Phase one deadline has passed
Phase two deadline is 15 September 2008 
Phase three deadline is 15 December 2008

Survive and Thrive Expression of Interest (30 kb)

For more information or the answers to any questions, contact Liz Towner on 0116 285 1357 or email Liz.

Evaluation

The initial Sustainable Museums programme was funded by MLA East Midlands and the European Union through the European Social Fund programme and ended in 2007. It provided a range of support and training for museums to support their development.

An evaluation of the programme was carried out in November and December 2007 and aimed to assess the successes of the programme and learning outcomes for the participants as well as informing the further development of the programme funded by Renaissance East Midlands.

The evaluation found that Sustainable Museums was seen as a ‘good thing’ that should be continued and expanded to include all independent and small local authority museums in the East Midlands. It also found that:

• Museums had benefited from involvement and many had a strong desire to stay involved,
• Participants gained an increase in their skills, knowledge and understanding, resulting in a new focus for many organisations. Many had also established entrepreneurial and business skills through the programme,
• One of the strengths of the programme was the availability of a pick and mix selection of activities which allowed participants to select the best method for them,
• Clearing out the Cupboard, one of the elements to be continued, enabled museums to undertake a fundamental reassessment of their purpose and operation and ensured a firm basis for future business planning.

The report also put forward recommendations for the development of the programme. These included:

• To provide maximum sustainability, those organisations that have already participated in elements of the programme should be encouraged to continue their participation and act as ambassadors to encourage others to take part,
• A range of activities and tools for advocacy should be developed to disseminate knowledge and good practice information about the programme. 

A full copy of the evaluation is available below.

Sustainable Museums evaluation report (477 kb)

A further report from the Sustainable Museums programme from January to March 2008 is also available below.
Final Report Sustainable Museums 2 July 2008 (70 kb)