Minutes of the 84th meeting of the Museum Council
August 27, 2009, 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM, Setberg, National Museum of Iceland
Present: Margrét Hallgrímsdóttir, chairman, Halldór Björn Runólfsson, Helgi Torfason, AlmaDís Kristinsdóttir and Rakel Halldórsdóttir. 1. The minutes of the 82nd and 83rd meetings were approved and signed.
2. Report of the Managing Director.
Resolution of the Museum Board regarding discussions on the cultural landscape and immediate surroundings of the Sigurjón Ólafsson Art Museum, LaugarnestangiThe matter was reviewed. Museum Council's opinion on Myndstef's new fee schedule for copyrighting visual worksThe matter was reviewed. Advertisement for grants to the museum fund 2010. The Museum Council advertised for grants for the 2010 Museum Fund in June. Advertisements were placed in the main media, the Law Publication Gazette, the Municipal Gazette, on the Museum Council's website and on the museum members' mailing list. In accordance with the decision of the 82nd Museum Council meeting, on June 15, the advertisement stated that increased emphasis would be placed on project grants in 2010 at the expense of operating grants. The advertisement also stated, in accordance with the Council's decision, that in order to be eligible for operating grants from the Museum Fund, a museum's operating basis must be secured. Grants 2009 -requested informationTwo museums have not submitted the requested information regarding the disbursement of operating grants from the museum fund. Icelandic Museum Day 2009, Sunday, July 12. The presentation of Icelandic Museum Day was in the hands of the Museum Council, as in previous years. The presentation was in the traditional manner. Museums jointly advertised the program of museums on Museum Day in Morgunblaðið the day before Museum Day. The Museum Council then advertised Museum Day with announcements read on the radio. The day was also covered in the media (newspapers/radio). Preservation and security of museum objects at the national level – a consultation project. In accordance with the decision of the Museum Council, the Minister of Culture has convened a working group that will manage a consultation project on an assessment and policy regarding preservation buildings and museum facilities for preservation. Coordinated museum visitor survey – a consultation project. In accordance with the decision of the Museum Council, the Minister of Culture has convened a working group that will oversee a consultation project on a coordinated museum visitor survey in Icelandic museums. The conference Innovation and Creative Work in the Hands of Young People, December 2-4 Rósa Gunnarsdóttir, Education Division of the Ministry of Education and Culture, requested the cooperation of the Museum Council on the organization and implementation of museum presentations at the conference to be held by the Ministry of Education and Culture on the occasion of the Year of Innovation. It is likely that four museums will present presentations at the conference related to the implementation of the Museum Council's policy on the educational role of museums, which was published by the council in 2007. Distribution center for the import and export of cultural property.The distribution label is in progress, the designer is still working on the label design. Icelandic Museums and Artisans Association Travel School 2009, September 16-18 The Minister of Culture has been asked to give a presentation on the changed emphasis in grants from the museum fund in 2010 at a mobile school for museum professionals, which will be held at Hvolsvöllur.3. Museum Fund allocation rules revised. The Museum Council's procedures for monitoring the use of grants from the Museum Fund have been included in the draft of the Fund's allocation rules. Several comments were made to the draft. Submissions for monitoring the use of grants will be in electronic form. A bid for this has been sought from EC Software. The bid will be presented at the next meeting. The revised allocation rules will be reviewed at the next meeting.
4. Improved guidelines for museum charters. The Board of Trustees presented a draft of revised guidelines for the charter of a museum. Several comments were made on the draft. The guidelines will be reviewed at the next meeting.
5. Information booklet for applications to the museum fund 2010. The Council of Ministers submitted a draft information booklet for applications to the 2010 Museum Fund in accordance with the Council's decisions on the priorities for the 2010 grant. Several comments were made to the draft. Corrections will be confirmed by email.
6. Electronic application form for museum fund applications. Frkv.st.j. introduced a new, electronic application form for applications to the museum fund, designed by EC-software. The design allows for a statistical evaluation of applications. The work will be submitted by EC-software by the end of August.
7. Customs and Excise Department – more formal cooperation. Guðbjörn Guðbjörnsson, Chief Customs Officer, contacted the Minister of Culture to discuss the idea of closer cooperation between the Customs Office and the Museums Council on the implementation of Act No. 105/2001 on the export of cultural property and the return of cultural property to other countries. The possibility of a cooperation agreement was discussed, as well as a course organized by the Museums Council for customs officers, regarding the control of the export and import of cultural property. It was agreed to examine the matter further.
8. Coventry church glass in Áskirkja, Reykjavík and Akureyri Church. Following a suggestion to the National Museum, the Museum Council agreed to seek opinions on the import of the church glass in the first half of the 20th century. Opinions were sought from the National Gallery of Iceland, the Bishop of Iceland and the National Museum of Iceland. A comment was received from the Bishop of Iceland stating that the relatives of Coventry Church in England are satisfied with the outcome of the case and thus the current location of the glass. Comments are requested from the National Gallery of Iceland and the National Museum. Discussion will continue at the next meeting.
9. Nomination to the Copyright Board. Last April, the Museum Council requested the Ministry of Education and Culture to nominate a representative of the Council to the Copyright Council on behalf of the Ministry. The request for nomination has been approved by the Ministry. The Museum Council approved the nomination of Halldór Björn Runólfsson, Director of the National Gallery of Iceland, to the Copyright Council. AlmaDís Kristinsdóttir, as well as other representatives of the Museum Council, will be available to him in terms of his work due to his seat on the Copyright Council.
10. Extension of a permit for the export of cultural property. The Museum Council received a request from Kevin P. Smith, Deputy Director and Chief Curator at the Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA, requesting an extension of the permit dated September 5, 2008, for one year, for the temporary export of cultural property from the excavation at Gilsbakki in Borgarfjörður. Comments were sought from the Icelandic Archaeological Conservation Service and the National Museum of Iceland. The request was sent to the Icelandic Institute of Natural History for processing with regard to the export of artifacts defined as animal remains. The comments of the National Museum and the Archaeological Conservation Service were positive. The extension of the permit was granted for one year, or until the end of August 2010. The Museum Council emphasized that a new permit would be required for the export of artifacts that might be excavated after the permit was granted in September 2008. The Minister of Culture will notify the applicant accordingly.
11. Next meeting, field trip and other matters. The date of the next meeting and field trip of the Museum Council 2009 was approved for Wednesday, September 23rd. It was approved to go to Akranes and Borgarnes for a field trip. The meeting will be held in Akranes. The trip and meeting are scheduled to last from 9 am to 5 pm.
There was no further discussion and the meeting adjourned at 17:00/RH
