Document Best Practices Museums and Art Centers
DOCUMENT OF GOOD PRACTICES IN MUSEUMS AND CONTEMPORARY ART CENTER
January 2007
INTRODUCTION
Three previous practices
In general, any government which intends to renew or create an art institution takes into account criteria and opportunities related to cultural tourism attraction, rehabilitation of degraded urban environments, the local outreach / autonomy / state, etc.. Without underestimating these arguments,
an initial standard or good practice in this area would be set before or alongside the cultural project that is to deal with the new equipment. To clarify, first, character or function: set up a collection (museum), encourage artistic production and social diffusion (art center / kuntshalle), or hybridize these two basic functions (museum, art center). Second, the temporary address covering the collection and / or activities (modern, contemporary or commitment to the future). Third, define the territorial scope of the collection / activity (local, regional, national, international) that will determine, in turn, the scope of their relationships. In short, it comes to setting the artistic identity of the new institution: the Art Project.
A second good practice to take into account the opinion, participation and achieve the greatest possible consensus among experts and stakeholders in the art world in the definition of the Art Project. Only starting from the Art Project, a public administration is authorized to gauge the economic effort that will require new or refurbished equipment (construction or rehabilitation of the building, procurement, program staff), whether or assume costs will go to other public or industry private institute a Board, select and hire the Art Direction and choose and hire the architect, in that order.
Following these steps is the third good practice in advance.
1. MANAGEMENT STRUCTURES
1. 1. The management objectives
The Spanish Constitution and the Statute of Autonomy establishes the universal right of all citizens to culture. Thus public institutions have a responsibility to ensure and guarantee that there are organisms that accurate, service-oriented society and considering the exercise of that right in the cultural, in our case regarding the creation and dissemination of contemporary art , with the ultimate goal of providing education and building the civic spirit of the people.
1.2 The forms of government
The management structures of museums should be designed to facilitate decision making for meeting the objectives of the institution and implementation of their plans in the short and long term. In our country there are basically two forms of management that affect our museums and art centers: At present, much depend on them organically or are part of the departments of Culture for public administration, without any autonomy financial management or unincorporated. This, among other things, prevents the necessary agility to an institution of this nature must have in order to carry out their objectives easily making them fragile and vulnerable. Faced with this type of art centers, other institutions with greater autonomy under the formula for state agencies, public foundations, trusts, autonomous bodies, etc.. These models provide advantages over the previous one: provide greater agility and operational efficiency, increase the capacity of the institution to get extra funds to the administration and make it stronger and independent. The management structures of museums and contemporary art must serve the organization and its ability to connect with society. Such structures must be characterized by the principle of full autonomy and its main objectives are to ensure the viability of the project, monitor their speed and consistency, facilitating external scrutiny to ensure the provision of necessary financial resources and help raise funds and services additional. These structures must also tend to be durable over time.
1.3. Government Bodies
The Governing Body is instituted is required to establish the broad key objectives of the institution, as reflected in some Statutes which clearly translate the mission of the Museum, the composition of the Governing Body and the basic rules of operation. If necessary, this governing body may have an Executive Committee. The Governing Body must ensure that the museum project, a key document that provides identity, vision and values to the institution, submitted by the Director, be carried forward in the terms it was approved. Also in close contact with management, will create appropriate mechanisms for proper monitoring of activities to achieve these objectives, with transparency and safeguarding public interests. Strategic Plans, drawn up periodically by management, develop the museum project and provide activities and practical means for specified periods.
1.4. Economic Management
For proper management of the museum will require national government budgets, regional or local contemplate an annual budget sufficient to reach the cultural objectives proposed. This budget must be guaranteed by the Governing Body, ensuring you will always have the financial means to develop that for which the institution has been created. The overall budget may be composed of public and private resources to complement the latter to the former. To this end, the institution responsible for co-operate with management to identify and encourage those who can contribute them from the private sector. In any case, the pursuit of private economic resources should not lead to reduced public resources that should ensure the smooth running of the museum institution.
1.5. Personnel Management
A labor organization in accordance with the desired objectives is critical to the smooth functioning, efficient and orderly. Led by the Department, the organization (1) must be proposed or accepted by it. In museums or art centers dependent on government, the "positions of trust" should be limited to the charges more closely linked to the project director, as the deputy director or manager. The civil service staff come to the museum through the oppositions to the Corps of Museum Curators and Corps Auxiliary Aides and Archives, Libraries and Museums (or similar in the regions). The lack of specialization among Museum Curators currently creates dysfunction and a lack in museums and art centers. It is necessary to promote the specialization, together with a greater emphasis on contemporary subjects, now very scarce, in opposition to the agendas of the aforementioned administrative bodies. In this situation, it would be preferable to hiring, from a List of Jobs approved by the competent authority of workforce through oppositions (transparent and publicized) with topics appropriate to the characteristics of each square, in which also valued the experience. The aim is to build a workforce prepared and stable for the museum or art center.
1.6. Management of equipment
Finally, a structural element of great importance is the physical place where the museum and art center spreads its activities, offering them to the company: architectural equipment that has the physical, spatial and technological skills to the objectives pursued, ensuring their suitability and good maintenance.
2. THE BOARD
2. 2. The Board and its functions
All publicly owned art institution must be configured on three organs or estates with a well-defined powers and functions: Board, Management and Technical Team. Each estate will include statutes, regulations or agreements governing its functions, establish the scope and limits of their powers and ensure maximum stability and cooperation in carrying out their respective responsibilities. Mutual collaboration will facilitate the work but these three estates are not communicating vessels. A proper scheme of relationships is:
Trustees> <Address> <Technical Equipment
The collegiate governing body of an art institution is the Board. Because on the one hand, the technical-scientific museum institution / facility and, second, the desirability of improving the financing, administration head of the museum / center delegate the governance of the institution in the Board. This is a delegation of functions based on trust in the expertise of the experts (scientists) and the capacity of civil society (collectors, employers, sponsors, users, associations, groups etc..) To attract arts funding (grants , deposits, collaboration agreements) and / or increase the financial resources of the museum / center. The basic functions of a Board shall be of three types: scientific, economic and administrative. Major scientific functions: Provide support and collaborate with management. Ensure respect for the Art Project. Assess compliance and performance of the contract / program management. - Know and approve the proposed acquisitions by management. - Review and approve the annual program of activities. - Review and approve the advisory committees established by management. Major economic functions: - To consider and approve annual budgets. - Ensure proper use of economic resources. - Attracting private economic resources. - Increase funding for the collection through recommendations, donations or deposits. Major administrative functions: - Choose the Address (or delegate to a committee or jury). - Mediate and contextualize the work of the Directorate and his team head to the institution and private employers. - To defend the autonomy of the Directorate against extra-artistic interference. - Promote the development and implementation of museum / art center in society and fulfill its objectives.
2. 3. Composition of Trustees
The composition of the Board will ensure the presence of representatives of the public owner, members of civil society and experts and scientists. We propose the following proportionality by function as detailed above and guarantee of their competence:
Representatives of the incumbent administration: 20-33%
Representatives of civil society: 20-33%
Experts and scientists: 33-50%
The Art Project guide the vocational profile of choice for employers scientists. A local profile scientific establishment will provide a thorough knowledge of the social, cultural and artistic geographical area in which it operates the museum / center, but also limit the need eyes to other contexts and broader horizons. By contrast, the presence of international experts oversized approach drives the institution to the artistic and cultural world, but hinder the necessary perspective on the local reality. In this sense, a good practice in determining the profiles respond-we insist-the Art Project and seek an appropriate balance between the benefits and threats described.
2.4. Election of Trustees
The incumbent administration of the museum / center has the legitimacy and accountability of elected members of the Board. First cover, of course, the squares of their direct representation. Then capture economic supports and propose the corresponding additions of representatives of the sponsors obtained (managers of Social Work thrifts, managers of financial institutions or corporate sponsors, collectors and others from civil society: associations, groups, users etc..). His tenure on the Board is subject to compliance stable financial contributions or the work of capturing recommendations, donations or deposits. Once the profile of employers selecting scientific experts will be made between professional criticism, theory and history of contemporary art of teaching, as well as artists, thinkers and specialists in other subjects related to his artistic project. The Board will agree and make public rules of conduct to avoid any conflict of interest of its members to the detriment of projects, acquisitions and funding possibilities of the museum. It will be clear beforehand which employers can exceptionally curated exhibitions at the museum or participate in other boards. Artists who are members of the Board will have solo exhibitions at the museum and its work can not be acquired in the period in which they are linked to it. Any Board member who is a collector (as an individual, foundation or company) must declare and avoid competition with the museum in this area. The museum does not acquire or store grievously works or collections owned by a member of the Board. Employers who are part of the Board shall declare it the business areas in which they operate their businesses, and avoid participating in any decision relating to procurement of services or goods that may directly or indirectly benefit their businesses. This regime of good practices pay attention to the ethical rules issued by the ICOM. It is recommended that partial replacement of the scientific members of the Board for limited periods. In this circumstance, the Director of Museum / Centre may nominate candidates of their trust. However, it will ensure the necessary plurality of experts in order to prevent majorities "captive" of program management. Repeated absence from the Board meetings will result in the termination as a member.
3. ADDRESS
The Directorate has the overriding responsibility of the museum or art center. To effectively fulfill its mission should be fully supported by all governing bodies of the institution.
3.1. Selection of the Director
The competition is the system by which directors are chosen based on the basic rules are as follows:
a. The decision on the appointment of a new Director is the responsibility of the board of the museum (which, previously, has to restructure as proposed in section 2 of this document). The Board may seek the advice of a committee, composed of prestigious personalities in the sectors concerned (artistic production and dissemination of art discourse, asset management), to review the applications independently. This advisory committee should be agreed by the Board. In those centers and museums on a national and international calling, you should tell the committee with foreign experts.
b. The Board shall prepare and issue a call in detailing the requirements for the position and conditions of the contract (the contest will be held with advertising and competition). In addition, non-binding, may invite contest nominally considered appropriate professionals. Finally, once the ideal candidate chosen by the Board, such election shall be proposed to the confirmation of the Administration responsible. We recommend signing contracts large enough to ensure the development of a program. c. Candidates for the post of Directors shall submit to the Board and the commission not only a complete resume to demonstrate their merits and experience but also a specific project or facility for the museum, and specifically for the period because of the contract. For the drafting of the design, the convener must provide stakeholders all necessary information about the museum or art center. In case of further consultations, the new data will be announced to all participants in the selection process.
3.2. Hiring the Director
We must seek administrative arrangements (public entity, state agency and other support regional or local administrations) to become the Director contained in a working figure. The contractual relationship of the directors must disengage from the duration of the policy term, so they recommended the five-year contract. Failure of the project that the Director presented the contest or other causes of weight may lead to termination of the contract before completion. In this case, should be the Board rescind the contract, and must give clear explanations of his decision to head the administration and citizens. Instead, the job satisfaction of the Director should lead the renewal of his contract after five years, for an equal period, and upon presentation by the Director, of a renewed project for those years. The intention is not renewed by either party must be notified one year in advance, and the process for selection by competition of a new Director must be started immediately.
3.3. Incompatibilities the Director
The Administration should protect remuneration budget for the Director to enable it to engage fully and exclusively responsible. The principal growing outside the museum will avoid any activity related to art trade or private collectors. Exceptionally, being expert in a particular field may be acceptable participation in a project outside the museum: in that case you should notify the Board.
4. THE SOCIAL ROLE OF THE MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART CLUBS
During the past century, dedicated to contemporary art museums have experienced extraordinary growth not only in our country and in neighboring countries, but important modifications of objectives and content, in any way unrelated to changes in modes of artistic production produced in the latter part of the twentieth century and the first half of the century. This has given the specificity and uniqueness about traditional museum institutions, even more pronounced in centers in the museums of contemporary art. Contemporary art museums have an obligation other than to other museums, and its relationship to the present. Its main function is to legitimize artists works or not, either, or advance to the judgment of history. What distinguishes historical museum (focusing on the conservation and study of their collections, heritage material) is the indispensable task of encouraging and spreading the artistic creativity of our time (intellectual activity understood as a social value as intangible heritage) and facilitate their reception. The museums can be conceived not only as containers for art, but as artistic behavior laboratories open to the changing experiences of the world and languages that make them visible. They are thus both production sites and generation of artists today as proposals for research and study of contemporary art practices. Therefore, the evaluation of the proper functioning of the museum or art center, and consider, as is traditionally done, the number of visitors, must meet various other management indicators
(2). From the above it follows that the museums of contemporary art centers and institutions dedicated to contemporary art should be places open to creative thinking, not dogmatic or disciplinarians. It is therefore necessary to a dynamic concept of museum based on the social fabric that sustains it, committed to information and education about the languages and contemporary discourses, and is in constant communication with other cultural institutions, establishing dynamic networks and participatory with other museums and national and international scope. Based on the foregoing, shall be a good practice, as the social role of museums and art centers, the following: Collect and preserve the artistic heritage of the twentieth century and activate a new heritage of the contemporary public, consisting of both objects as works on art projects intangibles: video art, net art, software art, etc.. Invest much of their resources in the conceptualization and production of new works by artists in the process of consolidation (R & D in the Visual Arts). Report at least once a year the director of plans not only to the Board (as prescriptive) but also to citizens through the media: purchases and planned exhibition programs and activities. Maintain a relationship with artists and curators with whom they work, based on best professional practices: fees for labor or services, respect for copyright, formalization of agreements through written contracts, etc.. In the event that the museum will finance the production of work previously recommended negotiating with artist and gallery if you are acquired by the museum or if you are traded, and under what conditions. Develop collaborative programs and international projection, integrating and fostering collaborative networks at local, regional, national and international levels. Encourage and attend to the creation of a local art context, fostering collaboration with its social and cultural environment and the creation of community through educational programs and training and attention to audiences and their segments.
5. PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF THIS DOCUMENT
This good practice document is the result of discussions initiated in June 2006 between the Ministry of Culture, the Association of Directors of Contemporary Art Consortium Gallery of Contemporary Art, the Board of Review of Visual Arts, the Art Institute Contemporary, the Union of Visual Artists Association and the Union of Associations of Art in Spain. These discussions assume that the Ministry recognizes the sector as such and it is articulated through partnerships. The document has no normative commitments and only for those institutions will it take and in no case may involve the withdrawal of the political and cultural institutions, on the other hand, will have control of the times when to go by implementing the recommendations expressed herein. The Ministry of Culture does own these best practices and encourages regional and local administrations to take action.
(1) The number of people within the organization of a M. or C. A. depends on several factors and is therefore variable. The two issues of greatest impact on this issue are: - the architectural dimensions of the equipment of the center or museum - its annual financial budget Assuming M. or C. A. medium size, ideally the organization:
* An Address, Address + secretariat
* An officer of the Permanent Collection (if any),
* A charge of Temporary Exhibitions
* An official of the Department of Education
* A charge of Library and Information Science,
* A responsible Publications
* A charge of Accounting and Personnel
* A head of communications,
* A charge of Marketing
* A charge of Infrastructure and Equipment and Safety.
Union Association of Visual Artists
Directors Guild of Contemporary Art
Consortium Contemporary Art Galleries
Board of Review of Visual Arts Institute of Contemporary Art
Union of Associations of Spain Galleries
Ministry of Culture
