have to be braver and make bold decisions, because if we don’t make these decisions, and we don’t find new ways to generate income, it will all have been in vain because our doors will close and we will have nothing to show for our efforts. That’s not to say I don’t still have the odd sleepless night about arranging banquets in unusual and precious spaces, case in point the Great Hall at Aston Hall, but to me it’s all about balancing the risk with the reward. You will never find our team serving a beetroot canapé, for example, just in case one should inadvertently end up staining the historic limestone floor, but we’ve learned to use the space in a respectful way so that people can now enjoy it just as Sir Thomas Holte would have enjoyed it with his friends and family back in the 1600s. And isn’t that magical...the traditions of yesterday are now part of the solution towards guaranteeing a safer tomorrow for these iconic buildings and the treasures contained within them.
to keep the momentum going. For example, Ignite is a forum for 16-24 year olds that allows the younger generation to immerse themselves in the arts, from co-creating galleries with our team to running tours that they have developed themselves through our learning programmes. This programme will develop over the coming year as we work with partners to engage younger people in the city. You are essentially safeguarding the many treasures in Birmingham Museums for generations to come… Does the responsibility weigh heavily? What legacy would you like to leave behind from your time at BMT? traditionally very risk averse, most likely because they have guardianship over priceless and historically important treasures, and are responsible for preserving them for generations to come. But I believe, in order to survive, we In short, yes it does weight heavily. Museums are
pride of place in and around Birmingham. Reaching the widest possible audiences is incredibly important to us. We continually strive to find new and exciting ways to engage the city’s young, multicultural audiences and international visitors to our museums. Community engagement is at the heart of our approach, and we run a range of initiatives
If you would like to support the work being done by the Birmingham Museums Trust, you can donate online [ https://www.justgiving.com/BirminghamMuseums ], encourage your workplace to offer corporate support, or become one of the Trust’s valued members or patrons. For more information, please visit http://www.birminghammuseums.org.uk/support-us
FINE ART COLLECTOR AUTUMN 2017 9
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker