Grant panel members – AIM

AIM is seeking three new members for the AIM Pilgrim Trust conservation grant panel and the AIM Arts Scholars Brighter Day conservation grant panel

Introduction

The Association of Independent Museums is a thriving UK museum membership organisation with over 1200 museum members. We represent a wide range of the UK’s museum and heritage organisations, from some of the largest attractions in the country to small, grassroots heritage organisations across a huge range of subject areas and localities. AIM helps heritage organisations prosper. We believe that museums must grow to fulfil their purpose and demonstrate the relevance of heritage to everyone.

In partnership with the Pilgrim Trust, AIM Pilgrim Conservation grants support small to medium sized museums to care for their collections more effectively and efficiently to and to meet the standards required for Accreditation. There are three grant streams: Collections Care, Remedial Conservation and Collections Care Audit. A primary aim of the scheme is to encourage museums to bring in conservation expertise to ensure that collections care and conservation meets professional standards and will have most impact for museums and their visitors.

Brighter Day is AIM’s newest grant scheme working with the Company of Arts Scholars Charitable Trust. It has been developed to help museums recover from the ongoing effects of the Covid pandemic and enforced closures that have affected many in the sector, with a special focus on small museums and others that have found it difficult to access other support. As with the AIM Pilgrim Conservation grants, the scheme supports AIM members to care for their collections and bring in appropriate expertise to help them do this.

Grant panel membership

Applications to both schemes will be assessed by the same panel. The panel will need to meet separately to award grants for each scheme. The panel membership is:

• 3 AIM Board members (1 to serve as panel Chair)
• 2 accredited conservators representing different collections specialisms
• 1 representative from an AIM member in the small museums category

Panel members should not be potential grant applicants

Panel to be quorate with 4 members present.

Role of the grant panel and timetable

AIM Pilgrim Conservation Grants have two rounds per year. The panel meets after the grant deadlines of 31 March and 30 September, probably at the beginning of May and October.

Brighter Day has one round per year with a deadline of 31 January. The panel will need to meet the week commencing 7 February.

AIM staff carry out initial eligibility checks on applications. Panel members will be expected to read and review all applications and score these against the assessment criteria. At the panel meeting applications will be discussed, all scores will be collated and grant awards made.

AIM will discuss with grant panel members their interest in further updates on projects in progress.

Panel meetings are currently taking place by Zoom. It is possible that face to face meetings may resume in future.

Grant panel recruitment

AIM wishes to recruit three external panel members. This is an exciting opportunity to play a role in the implementation of key AIM funds.

We are looking for people who can demonstrate the following:

• Two panel members who are accredited conservators
• One panel member representing an AIM member in our “small museums” membership category
• An understanding of the museums and heritage sector, in particular the type of organisations that make up AIM’s small museum category or experience supporting small organisations in a related sector.
• A good knowledge and understanding of sector standards in collections care. In particular, the requirements of the ACE Museum Accreditation scheme.

We anticipate that panel membership will involve 1.5 days work per round to read applications and attend the panel meeting. We will pay an honorarium of £150 to externally appointed panel members which they can direct to their own organisation if appropriate.

How to apply for this role

Please provide a personal statement on one page that outlines:

• Why you are interested in this role
• What impact this grant scheme will have on independent museums
• What skills and experience you would bring to the role, specifically addressing the criteria listed above.

Proposals should be sent to AIM Programmes Manager, Margaret Harrison Margaret@aim-museums.co.uk

Closing date for applications: 5pm Wednesday 26 January.