Minutes of the 96th meeting of the Museum Council – June 24, 2010, 12:00 – 14:00, National Museum of Iceland
Present: Margrét Hallgrímsdóttir, chairman, Svanfríður Franklínsdóttir (deputy of Halldór B. Runólfsson), Helgi Torfason, Guðný Dóra Gestdóttir, Jenný Lind Egilsdóttir, Ágústa Kristófersdóttir (executive director of the museum council).
1. Issues for discussion and decision:
1.0. Minutes of the 95th meeting approved and signed.
1.1. Director's Report: Icelandic Museum Day: Icelandic Museum Day will be celebrated on Sunday, July 11th, and the Museum Council will be running an open advertisement with the participation of numerous museums in Morgunblaðið on that occasion. Information for the advertisement is currently being collected. Museum Guide 2010: The 2010 Museum Handbook, which Anna Lísa Björnsdóttir is responsible for, is now in its final stages. The Museum Council has provided professional advice along with the chairman of FÍSOS, but the final proof is not yet available. Spring meetings: The spring meeting of the National Gallery of Iceland was held on May 31st, and museum policy in the field of fine arts was the main topic of discussion. Participation was good, and the next meeting is planned in connection with the mobile school in the fall. Coordinated museum visitor survey: Work on a coordinated museum visitor survey is progressing well and will be ready on July 1st. Preparation for the 2011 grant announcement: Confirmation of new allocation rules from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports is awaited. Lecture by Elisabeth Schlatter: Schlatter is an American curator who visited Iceland on behalf of Hafnarborg, and the museum board and the National Museum participated in the preparation for her talk by sending presentations and providing facilities in the National Museum's lecture hall. Managing Director's trip to Húsavík: The trip was a success in every way and it was educational to see the diverse flora of Icelandic museums.
1.2. Advertisement for grants from the museum fund: Between meetings, proposals for minor changes to the Ministry of Education and Culture's allocation rules were approved, and the text of the rules was brought closer to the text of the current law. Formal confirmation from the Minister is awaited, and grant announcements will be published with reservations about changes.
1.3. Changes in the legal environment for museums – Draft comments were reviewed and discussed. It was decided to continue working on them via email.
1.4. Storage issues at the Reykjanesbær Historical Museum – letter from the Reykjanesbær Municipal Museum regarding storage issues. The Museum Board welcomes the fact that a good outcome has been reached in the matter, but the museum has terminated its contract with Gagnavörslan and instead the municipality purchased premises that the museum can use as a storage facility.
1.5. Study Council in Museology: A request was sent from the Department of Museum Studies at the University of Iceland to have the Director of the Museum Council take a seat on the Academic Council. It has been decided to examine the scope of the work more closely before a final decision is made. In its response, the Museum Council will encourage collaboration with the main museums and increased collaboration with related disciplines at the University of Iceland.
1.6. Museum Board trip: In light of decreasing budgets, the plan is to visit museums in the capital area on September 16th.
1.7. Museum charters – Review 2010 with a view to formal confirmation by the Museum Council: The charters of 13 museums were reviewed and compared with the Museum Council's guidelines on charters from 2009. Letters with comments will be sent to museums as appropriate. The review of charters will continue in the same manner.
2. Papers for discussion and decision.
2.1. Message from the Ministry of Education regarding the application of the Hornafjörður Cultural Center for a grant according to
Article 11 of the Museums Act. The Museum Council agreed to recommend the application. A letter will be sent to the Ministry of Education and Culture.
2.2. Message from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the application of the Sigurjón Ólafsson Art Museum for a grant according to
Article 11 of the Museums Act. The Museum Council agreed to refer the request to the National Gallery of Iceland for comment.
2.3. Charter of the Home Crafts Museum in Blönduós for confirmation. Confirmed without comment.
3. The next meeting was set for September 2nd at 12:00 noon.
Augusta Kristofersdottir