6PROGRESSING AND
WALES PROJECT
PUBLICISING
THE
CONTEMPORARY
COLLECTING
Introduction
The Contemporary Collecting Wales project has been the result of the work and
enthusiasm of a small number of curators who were concerned that museums in Wales
were not addressing issues around the collection of modern material 1. It has been
funded by the Museums Association’s Effective Collections Special Project Fund.
The project has been driven forward by those who have found the time to provide
capacity to make funding applications, think strategically and work in partnership. The
future of the Contemporary Collecting Wales project depends on the countrywide
partnership being sustained. In challenging economic times for museums it might be
easy to see the project as marginal to a museum’s core and public work. However many
museums have embraced the concepts of the Effective Collections Programme as a
way of addressing fundamental issues around collections and collecting, so interest is
likely to be sustained.
Contemporary Collecting Wales is slightly different to other Effective Collection projects
in that (subject to further evidence) we are dealing with how museums collect (or do not
collect) and can work together over a time related collecting area that for some has
either been neglected or is seen as too challenging. It is not a case of reviewing an
existing subject collection area such as ethnology collections, or a whole museum
collection, with a view to rationalisation, loan and reuse. Indeed another interesting
aspect of contemporary collecting is that collections cover a wide range of traditionally
held objects in museums but within a modern, time related, context. This brings further
challenges.
The 2011-12 Pilot
During 2011-12 the project was developed through a survey of contemporary sports
material held within public collections in Wales and a subsequent touring exhibition. It
was felt that museums would easily be able to identify such materials in their
collections. For the purposes of this stage of the project a starting date of 1950 was
used. However a definition of contemporary in terms of this project and museum
collections is still to be decided. This will be defined during the next stage of the project,
but it is likely that a very short timescale – perhaps certainly no longer than a rolling 10
years before the present - will be the norm. The National Museum for example has a
five year timescale.
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The definition of modern or contemporary in a museum collection context will be agreed during the project.
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The survey asked a small number of questions not only about items in collections but
also if the museum knew of other material in the community (private or in clubs). It also
asked if the museum specifically included contemporary collecting within its agreed
acquisition policy. The response was very high (over 90%) and covered virtually all
museums that had collections within the date range.
Issues identified
A number of issues have been identified from the survey – many of which have
relevance to contemporary collecting by museums in general.
These include:
General
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Only a few museum collecting policies mention contemporary collecting
specifically although this is improving
A definition of contemporary is needed and how this relates to general collecting
activity
Storage and display issues have been highlighted. Many museums are wary of
collecting contemporary material when stores are already full and display
opportunities are limited.
General lack of knowledge of what other museums have, and lack of links to
knowledge of collections either in Wales or elsewhere.
Potential material may be seen as too recent for a museum to be interested in.
Power of wealthy private collectors to outbid local museums if items for sale.
Relevant material may also now be sold via eBay rather than offered direct to a
museum. This may be more prevalent in certain areas than others.
Specific Sports related (potential parallels with other collections)
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There are two specialist collections with expertise or access to expertise – the
Welsh Football Collection at Wrexham Museum, and Museum of Welsh Cricket,
Cardiff. Football and Cricket are therefore relatively well interpreted and
collected. This is particularly true of the Cricket Museum which tries to give a
rounded approach from international through county to club cricket level. It also
covers the social side of the game.
The Welsh Sports Hall of Fame collection (curated by St Fagans) covers many
sports but by its nature concentrates on individual elite athletes.
Collecting contemporary sports material by local museums is mainly reactive.
Occasional temporary exhibitions on a sports theme will ‘flush out’ local
collections, some of which may be offered to the museum.
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Collected items mainly relate to individuals or specific events not to whole sports.
Newport collected material relating to the 2010 Ryder Cup but there is nothing
else in museums about golf in general in Wales. Carmarthen has some
interesting material on cycling (not very recent) but there is nothing about the
recent success of cycling in Wales emanating from the Newport Velodrome for
instance.
Many sports not covered at all in any collections (hockey and tennis being good
examples)
There is a lack of knowledge of dating of some sports equipment.
Some museums are aware of collections held elsewhere whether privately or in
sports clubs (particularly in Rugby clubs). There was considerable concern over
documentation, display and storage of items in sports clubs – more liaison with
the local museum may be mutually beneficial but clubs are very possessive of
their collections.
Sports people tend to retain their equipment, trophies etc. often in storage once
they finish competitive sport. They may be disposed of without thought to their
potential heritage value as seen to be too recent for museums to collect. Lack of
knowledge of collections elsewhere may also be a barrier to the museum
collecting.
Private collectors are particularly active within certain sports limiting the
opportunities for museums to collect.
Issues around collecting the social and wider aspects of sport (rather than focus
on a person or a team) are not being addressed,
Over 35 sports governing bodies in Wales were approached to see if they had
collections or were aware of any. Only 6 responded which is a worrying level of
potential disassociation from collections / archive. Fencing and Karate have no
collections but were interested in the project. Cricket and Football have been
mentioned above – these collections are associated with their governing bodies.
Swimming has material in store and St Fagans is aware of this. Orienteering
material from Wales is included within the UK archive housed at Sheffield
University.
It is also known that the Mountain Heritage Trust Collection (based in Penrith)
covers Wales.2 Material from Wales may be included within the (UK) National
Hockey Museum being developed in Woking Surrey.3 There may be other
examples of museums outside Wales which include Welsh material.
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The author should confess to being an orienteer and a mountaineer so was aware of these two latter collections!
Information from Katie Dodd, National Hockey Museum
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A Distributed National Collection.
The concept of a Distributed National Collection in Wales was first identified over 10
years ago. It is now included within A Museum Strategy for Wales where an action is to
‘discuss and define (the) concept of a distributed National Collection’4 within the lifetime
of the strategy (2010-15).
The distributed national collection (DNC) may be defined as ‘the objects and records
that provide the evidence of the history of the people of Wales. The collections that tell
the story of Wales are kept across the nation by a diverse range of organisations.
Museums, libraries and archives ……….all hold items of cultural significance that
combine to tell the story of Wales. There is a distinction between collections which are
nationally significant within themselves and those which combine to form our national
collection. Objects and documents that tell the story of ordinary people and daily life
may not individually appear to be significant yet collectively they have a unique value
and a vital contribution to make to understanding and sharing our heritage’.5
Evidence from the contemporary sports pilot has shown that if collections exist they are
at best patchy. Although there has been some targeted collecting (for instance reflecting
the success of a local football club) most has been done in a reactive way. Collecting
has been unscientific, reinforcing the need for a strategic approach to collecting in this
area at least. Very few collecting policies highlight collecting recent material – most
museums fall back on a catch all policy of collecting local objects from all periods. This
means that collecting modern material is either overlooked or not collected in a strategic
way even for the museum concerned.
Ironically most museums in Wales are of recent foundation but one suspects effort has
been made to collect the ‘old’ rather than the contemporary. There are some examples
of where museums have collected modern material in a focussed way such as
Pembrokeshire Museum Service which has collected computer games, and The Cardiff
Story where contemporary collecting is main stream to the development of the museum.
Lack of storage can restrict further collecting even when there is the willingness to do
so.
The distribution of museums also leaves gaps but with 75 % of collections held by
Amgueddfa Cymru, the opportunities to work together to develop a DNC related to
modern material are immense. The challenges of collecting across many traditional
subject areas but focussing on the contemporary can be overcome by addressing the
issues through a DNC. Use of existing expertise within the sector in Wales will be
4
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A Museum Strategy for Wales p22 and action point 4.1 p.43
Jane Henderson 2010
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important. It is reassuring that AC-NMW has addressed the issue through the
appointment of curators who have a contemporary remit.
Most museum stores are full. If museums are to collect contemporary material, does
this mean they will need to rationalise existing collections? If so, it is a wider issue than
just making decisions about what to collect to reflect the contemporary. Museums need
to address issues around what the public believe museums should be collecting to
reflect a snapshot of their lives. This can be done through research with museum
visitors but also public surveys of potential visitors. It may be easier to identify what is
iconic, but more difficult to define the ordinary and common place, but nevertheless
important to tell future generations what life was like within the present. Addressing
public attitudes will inform this process.
Perhaps the idea of teenagers curating exhibitions and collections on an ongoing basis
(not just as a one off project) could be built into the process. There could also be a
panel representing the Welsh public who could from time to time reflect on what should
be in public collections. This would not conflict with the desire of a local museum to
collect what it feels is locally significant (although some form of moderation may be
needed to ensure no overlap in the two approaches). In addition significant collections
held within the community should be taken into consideration as part of the DNC
approach but with a robust approach to recording them and disseminating the
information.
The concept of DNC is central to taking this project forward as museums must work
together on:
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Collection policies including defining ‘contemporary’
Disposals
A formally agreed framework as to who collects what (DNC)
Sharing of expertise
Review and evaluation on a consistent and continuing basis.
Using social media to discuss the issues and get feedback and inclusion
Development
The following action should be addressed as part of continuing the project:
1. Database of contemporary collections. There is a need for a comprehensive survey
(after deciding definitions) of holdings. Information could be uploaded to Peoples
Collection Wales, a dedicated website or as part of the Federation website. It should
also include that intangible information that makes the objects worthy of collecting.
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2. Advice on inclusion of positive wording in collecting policies. Weaknesses in current
policies should be highlighted. Governing bodies should be made aware of these
changes and their support for contemporary collecting obtained.
3. Collecting contemporary material brings new issues around the preservation of
objects as they may be made of new materials or combinations of materials There are
also new types of ‘objects’ such as digital media which will be collected and these in
turn have new long term preservation requirements. Conservation issues around
contemporary collecting are therefore being looked at separately as part of this project.
4. Raise awareness through the development of temporary exhibitions. Touring
exhibitions take time in preparation and research. They were popular in the past but
little capacity exists within museums nowadays so will need to assess how capacity and
enthusiasm can be developed and maintained. There would probably have to be a
charge to fund the programme – how much will museums pay, if at all, is an issue.
Grant aid may be needed to support this in the long term but should run alongside other
strands of the project. Information on collections and their availability is vital (as with the
sports exhibition). Temporary exhibitions are a good way of garnering public attitudes
and support for contemporary collecting.
5. Need to be aware that some areas of contemporary collecting are covered by others
e.g. archives (modern records), screen heritage, and art galleries collect the
contemporary as a matter of course. Need to work with these bodies to gain from their
experience.
What helps is available?
Specialist Subject Networks (SSNs). These tend to be subject related (some e.g.
plastics are materials related) and are not limited to the contemporary. The Social
History Curators Group continues to proactively address the issues. However in general
contemporary may be less important to SSNs. Other special interest groups exist that
are considering the contemporary.
Web based information. There is a vast resource on the web fuelled by private
collecting - need to tap into this expertise.
Private collections – many people are collecting the contemporary within narrow (often
very narrow!) subject areas. Museums need to be aware of collections and act if they
become available (agriculture, football are examples.)
Private expertise related to the above is often greater than that in museums on
contemporary subjects. However there is expertise in museums within subject areas,
and also on contemporary issues (e.g. AC-NMW Curator of Contemporary Life).
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Some Conclusions
Need capacity to:
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Develop a timetable and strategy
Drive forward the agreed strategy and work programme
Involve all museums. Needs to be across the sector in Wales if DNC concept will
work for Contemporary Collecting.
Challenge perceptions of what museums should collect
Initially need to get agreement on what to collect, who collects it, and what are the
barriers to collecting. Then museums can move forward and develop temporary
exhibitions; data bases; collecting of memories/related information that make objects
special; upload to PCW etc. on a continuing basis.
Momentum is important. Should there be a formal Contemporary Collecting Group
formed rather than the steering group? Although this may still fairly be ad hoc – could
be less meetings but other methods of working (pilot has shown few can attend
meetings due to time constraints and distance) – which will ensure other museums
especially independents can join.
Museums must make sure their collecting is more relevant to public, museums
themselves and also to their governing bodies (i.e. focussed collecting and development
of partnerships.)
Maintain links to the Museum Strategy.
Maximise opportunities to work cross border with others looking at similar issues should
obviously be taken.
John Marjoram October 2012
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