The Museum Advisors Program is managed by Museums & Galleries NSW with funding from Arts NSW. Local Councils participating in the Program match the Ministry’s funding of $6000 per year.

The Program is modelled on the Heritage Advisors Network, coordinated by the NSW Heritage Office. A Museum Advisor works with the museums and Council in the area for 20 days of the year, usually making 10 two-day visits.

Councils and museums benefit from the Advisor introducing new skills and knowledge into their area that can contribute to the strategic and sustainable development of their museums. This Program aims to facilitate Council planning to support vibrant and more effectively operated museums which can enhance community development and lead to greater tourism opportunities.

Advisors assist museums to attract support for developing the value of their collections and growing their audiences. With Council they work towards establishing appropriately resourced regional museums and opportunities to provide professional support for the region.

The Program was established in 2000 and has been active in over 19 local government areas to date.

 

Current Museum Advisor Programs:

Blacktown

Bland Shire

Blue Mountains

Broken Hill

Cowra

Forbes and Weddin Shire

Goulburn Mulwaree

Lismore

Lockhart

Nambucca

Orange

Tenterfield

Tumut

Walgett

Young

 

Further Council participants:

Tweed, Hastings, Junee, Tallaganda, Quirindi, Gundagai, Coffs Harbour and Wollongong local government areas have also participated in this Program. In Wollongong , Tweed and Hastings the Program was instrumental in assisting Council attract funding for permanent professional museum positions which in turn have capacity to raise standards and funding for dynamic museum operations.

 

Several additional NSW local government areas have commenced preparation for a Museum Advisors Program. M&G NSW assists this planning, however the opportunity for Councils to establish a Program depends on the availability of Arts NSW funds, which M&G NSW devolves within our funding agreement for the calendar year.

 

For further information and enquiries regarding the Museum Advisor Program please contact:

 

Sarah-Jane Rennie

Museum Programs and Collections Manager

P: +612 9339 9908

E: sarahjaner@mgnsw.org.au

 

 

 

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