Dear colleague

If your museum has completed its benchmarking return at http://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/EastofEngland1718 then please ignore this reminder, otherwise please complete it now. There is one week until the deadline (see MiC News no. 128). We have a great return record in Cambridgeshire, but so far this year there are 23 returns not yet started. We really need good data if we are going to demonstrate our value and this has never been more important.

Again, if your museum has already dealt with this year’s MiC subscription please ignore this reminder (MiC News no. 126). As of last week there are 13 museums which have not yet paid.

One more request from me please: I would like confidentially to get some indication of what MiC members pay for their alarm services (fire and intruder). I must stress that this is strictly for my use and I would never pass on details of any museum’s arrangements without their explicit permission. I am aware that the annual cost can be significant but I only know the actual costs for a very few museums. If you are prepared to tell me how much your museum pays and give me some idea of the service you receive (e.g. how often the system is checked) I would be most grateful. It would also be helpful to know the name of the company but I’d quite understand if you preferred to withhold that information.

Here are the news items that have come my way this week:

1. Following on from the details of The Library Presents in MiC News no. 135, volunteers in the project can attend a free marketing workshop, covering Facebook, Instagram etc, bookable at thelibrarypresents@cambridgeshire.gov.uk. The workshops are 10am-12pm at Ely Library on 3 September and 2pm-4pm at Huntingdon Library on 13 September and travel costs may be claimed.
2. Newnham College is advertising for a Curator of Valuable Possessions, closing date 3 September, at http://www.newn.cam.ac.uk/vacancy/curator-of-valuable-possessions/.
3. The Group for Education in Museums is running an Intermediate Course on Heritage Interpretation on 4 October, 10am-4.30pm, Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, £125 for GEM and AHI members and £160 for non-members. For more information visit https://gem.org.uk/training-and-events/gems-training-programme/intermediate-courses/heritage-interpretation-course/.
4. SHARE is seeking expressions of interest from museums who wish to join a fundraising cohort. Apply using the attached form by 10 September.
5. Palace House, Newmarket: National Heritage Centre for Horseracing & Sporting Art is advertising a 12-month trainee community engagement opportunity starting in October. For further details see https://www.palacehousenewmarket.co.uk/media/wysiwyg/TPtTM_Trainee_Advert_-_Palace_House_1.pdf. Closing  date is 31 August.
6. HLF have announced the timing for their new Strategic Funding Framework at https://www.hlf.org.uk/about-us/our-strategy/changes-our-grant-making.
7. ACE have a useful summary of the project grants at https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/sites/default/files/download-file/Information_sheets_Museum_projects_Project_grants_0.pdf
8. The Royal Society has a small grants scheme for celebrating scientists which could be ideal for small museums, closing date 26 September, at https://royalsociety.org/grants-schemes-awards/grants/places-of-science/.