The ‘Regional Hubs’ project of the Collections Council of Australia has moved to a new phase. This announcement provides an short report on progress with this major initiative, and links to new online publications on the topic.
In 2006, the Collections Council commissioned a study of the current structures supporting collections in regional areas. Our consultant, Anne Dunn, reported that current arrangements will not sustain the proper collection and preservation of Australia’s history. Despite some positives, there are gaps and weaknesses in the current system.
The Dunn Report endorses the concept of ‘Regional Hubs’ - envisaged as a national network of regionally-based support for the collections sector - and recommends funding and operational models to activate the network.
This concept has been identified by the Collections Council as CollectionsCare. The proposal is introduced in coloured brochure that is being used as a starting point for our advocacy campaign.
CollectionsCare – towards sustainability for collections in regional and remote Australia
CollectionsCare proposes a system of staffed regional hubs where communities and governments can work in partnership to develop and care for Australia’s distributed cultural and scientific collections. It should begin with demonstration projects in each state and territory, focussing first on regions outside capital cities. However, as a substantial long-term undertaking, the program also has the potential to eventually benefit metropolitan regions.
The Collections Council believes that, by connecting people more effectively with their collections, CollectionsCare will strengthen communities. We welcome assistance in advocating CollectionsCare as a project that will build capacity in regional communities, and sustainability for regional collections – please contact us to discuss your ideas for supporting this proposal.
Click HERE to access The Dunn Report, published online by the Collections Council in June 2007.
Click HERE to view the CollectionsCare brochure. Printed copies are available on request from the Collections Council (click HERE to access our contact details). Please note that the CollectionsCare brochure acknowledgements should include 'Chifley House, Bathurst Regional Council'. We apologise for this oversight.
Click HERE to access ‘Regional Hubs and other strategies’, a paper by Margaret Birtley, Chief Executive Officer of the Collections Council, presented to the Regional and Remote Program of the Museums Australia National Conference on Saturday 19 May 2007.
Click HERE to learn how to make a deductible donation to the Collections Council’s Public Fund account in support of our advocacy campaign for CollectionsCare.