Museums, libraries & archives
Groups, networks & associations
Museum groups
Library groups
County museum fora
There are five museum fora in the region which hold regular meetings to offer networking opportunities to members and the chance to share skills, ideas and good practice.
The fora cover the geographic areas of Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire. To find out more about the fora, how to join and dates of future meetings, contact the relevant museum development officer. Contact details can be found on the Renaissance East Midlands website.
Association of Independent Museums (AIM)
AIM provides its members with information and help. The regional representative for the East Midlands is Claire Browne, museums development network manager. community museums officer. Tel 0116 264 5820 or email Claire Browne.
East Midlands Museums Service (EmmS)
EmmS is a membership organisation representing museums in the East Midlands. Visit the EmmS website for more information.
Group for Education in Museums (GEM)
The Group for Education in Museums promotes the importance of learning through museums and galleries. It is a national body with regional conveners who organise training, development and networking activities. For more information visit www.gem.org.uk.
Group of Small Local Authority Museums (GOSLAM)
GOSLAM represents the interests of local authority museums who have fewer than five 'behind the scenes' staff. Contact Liz Weston for further information about the group. Tel 01623 463088.
Midlands Federation of Museums and Art Galleries (Mid Fed)
The Mid Fed is a voluntary organisation and a registered charity whose activities cover the East and West Midlands. It is primarily an individual members' organisation, with some institutional members. Its purpose is to promote the objectives of the Museums Association. The Mid Fed convenes meetings for the purpose of professional development, information sharing and discussion.
The Mid Fed holds at least six meetings and seminars a year all covering issues relating to the museums domain. The Mid Fed is also a vehicle for information dissemination and networking across the two regions. Business sessions are held before each meeting to keep members up to date with work being carried out by MLA East Midlands and by MLA East Midlands's equivalent regional agency in the West Midlands, MLA West Midlands, and the two museum Hub teams. For more information contact Liz Wilson via the Renaissance in the Regions team.
Museum Professionals Group
This is a membership organisation which reflects the interests and aspirations of people working in or for museums. They aim to:
- Campaign on real issues of concern that have been raised by their members,
- Provide a forum for debate,
- Support people who work within the museums sector,
- Organise seminars on relevant museum topics, at an affordable price.
Their core constituency is new museum professionals – usually those within their first 10 years in the sector.
Visit their website for further information.
National museum organisations
Association of Independent Museums (AIM)
Group for Education in Museums (GEM)
Museums Association (MA)
Museum Documentation Association (MDA)
Museums & Galleries Disability Association (MAGDA)
Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA)
Strength In Diversity (SID)
SID is a group which was established to support independent museums within the region and comprises representatives from each of the county fora (see above). For more information contact Sue Clayton. Tel 01636 525111.
