Attached is your copy of the long awaited Fast Forward 2010, the 6th bi-annual survey of West Midlands museums. In all, 170 of you participated, 79% of all our museums! Covering organisational health, collections, and users, it is a wide-ranging and detailed picture of museum provision throughout the West Midlands in 2010.
Fast Forward surveys have been conducted over a sustained period (the first survey was published in 2000), using a consistent set of benchmarks, hence enabling trends to be identified and a decade’s perspective to be gained. Underpinned by a solid body of evidence showing the impact of government-funded programmes, e.g. Renaissance and development support, the survey makes the case for investment in museums. It also gives focused attention to the challenges they face.
Fast Forward 2010 Executive Summary Fast Forward 2010 Full Report
Key Findings
Museums in our region attracted more than 7.3 million visits in 2010 and there has been a steady increase in visits.
We have widespread support from our communities – as evidenced by the number of people who volunteer in museums (over 5,400) whose time is valued at £4.2 m.
Further work is needed in developing skills among the workforce.
We care for 6.8 million items held in trust for society, but capacity for keeping collections is under pressure – half of respondents said their stores are full.
68% of Local Authority museums reported falling support from their Authority.
Museums are diversifying sources of income but much work remains to be done.
Overall progress on improving physical and sensory access is very slow.
Renaissance-funding for Hub museums and Museum Development Officers has resulted in rapid and sustained improvement in standards at both the large and small ends of the sector
Fast Forward Online
Fast Forward 2010 and its Executive Summary will be hosted by Collections Link www.collectionslink.org.uk. The Summary highlights key findings and identifies those issues expected to be most pressing the future. Collections Link will also host previous editions of Fast Forward.
We are indebted to the museums who responded to our survey and thereby helped to ensure that it is a timely and representative survey of facts on the ground. Thank also to the Editorial Board who worked hard to ensure Fast Forward 2010 lived up to the high standard of previous editions.
