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The GIF for museums in 2020/21

22/3/2021

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It's time for another round of "Hi, this email contains plans and dates based off the assumption of the museum reopening on May 17th, but we have no idea if that'll happen, but we need to plan for something, so that we have a plan we can adjust as required."
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Does your museum networking event leave a chasm behind it?

24/2/2021

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The majority of museum, heritage and arts industry networking events I see leave a very definite chasm for a certain type of museum worker to try and cross over. An event may be welcoming, have good word of mouth, even be free to attend, but if it's held during the hours of the standard working week, there's your problem. It's not too complex to add greater access to networking events though.

Let's start with the issue, where events held during the standard working day assume that people either:
  • Are sufficiently their own boss, with suitable staff cover or time management, to decide "I'm going to this". 
  • Or, have management who realise the value of such events and are willing and able to arrange time out of work for them.
  • Or, are willing and able to book their own holiday time to attend.

(Bear in mind that for many museum and gallery staff, their normal working week also includes weekends, and for some it includes regular evenings up to 10.00pm, but I'm talking broad strokes here)​
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Redundancy help and advice

18/12/2020

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I was recently made aware of a facebook post containing some very useful content if your job is at risk from redundancy, or you're worried it might be. You may also find some of the content helpful if your role is secure but redundancies are happening around you (managing survivor's guilt).

Full credit, this list was shared in the 
MA Workforce Covid Support Group on Facebook, but as that's a private group, I can't just reshare the original post, so here are the links in full, in a format anyone can access.
Redundancy signposting
https://www.museumsassociation.org/careers/redundancy-hub/

Government
https://www.gov.uk/redundancy-your-rights/being-selected-for-redundancy?

Citizens Advice
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/work/leaving-a-job/redundancy/voluntary-redundancy/

Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development
www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/fundamentals/emp-law/redundancy/factsheet

ACAS
https://www.acas.org.uk/your-rights-during-redundancy

Prospect
https://prospect.org.uk/topic/redundancy/

I feel like this being a post to end 2020 is kind of awful. It is awful. As of December 15th 2020 the Museums Association had recorded 3,997 redundancies in the UK museums workforce from March 2020, (find out more here) and that number will inevitably only go up. 
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Redundancy is awful, you're not.

If you are reading this because your role is redundant or under consultation, it's awful, it will always be awful. Don't let people tell you otherwise, or to get over it, or suck it, up, or that it could be worse. You are living through what you are living through, and are equipped as only you can be.

You will most likely carry deep and complex emotions about the challenge of redundancy for the rest of your life. But the situation itself will pass into new, different situations. You may be surprised by how you can change. It may take a lot longer than you hope, or it may shock you by being something you suddenly slew off like an old skin. You may find that redundancy of your role creates an emotional scar which can suddenly and unexpectedly open in the future. You may need to look for extra help and support. But, you will be there, and that's what matters, you being and doing and making and creating and coping and living.

Here's to being here in 2021, for whatever that brings us.
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Janet was a common Anglo-Saxon name

11/12/2020

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It was very much taken, and appreciated, as the joke it was intended to be.
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Hours of Operation

13/11/2020

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museum opening hours
I actually had to be part of a situation like this.

The venue had failed to think through the full ramifications of opening times and staff hours, but it was eventually worked out, although had an understandable knock on effect on new staff who had been planning their travel arrangements around the orignally advertised job times. It's a bit rubbish too, having to tell someone who has just finished their visit that they can't buy anything, because you have already closed the till up.
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Burning with indignation

3/11/2020

1 Comment

 
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If a historic or heritage venue, heck, any venue, says they have smoking policies, please do obey them. Odds are it isn't purely draconian, but is, for example, to protect vulnerable items, or prevent sensitive alarm equipment going off and you all having to go and stand outside while the food goes cold and the fizzy goes flat. Also, it doesn't matter who you are, what you paid for, or who you know, if you've been told, you’ve been told. Security don't muck about.
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I'm happy here

22/10/2020

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museum cartoon, art gallery cartoon, art gallery chairs
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Happy Birthday to us

19/8/2020

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It's August, and this year, amazingly, Attendant's View is ten.
Yes, these ramblings have been going for a decade now, so thanks for beling along for the journey!

To celebrate, I'm posting a cartoon a day on social media throughout August, starting from the first one published here, and moving through in order. Once we hit the end of August, I'll be doing Throwback Thursdays.

Of course, there were posts which weren't cartoons, but were written observations, more serious reviews or opinions etc, so feel free to skip through the archives and have a look for yourself!
If you want to come and join on social media (where you'll see a lot more casual shares and posts about news etc than here) just follow the links and like the pages.

​It'd be great to see you there!
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Delivery Service

4/7/2020

2 Comments

 
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2 Comments

Your toilets matter more than ever as Lockdown Loosens

25/6/2020

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Toilets.
Not very exciting, eh?

They really matter to your visitors if you work at almost any venue open to the public, (you probably know this) and it can be surprisingly easy to overlook them as a factor in visitor satisfaction. With Covid-19, cleanliness and shared spaces are now even more of a concern, and that means your toilets really matter more than ever.

There's some very interesting and useful information in this Youtube video about what will help visitors feel confident and comfortable in visiting your site when it reopens after lockdown. Graphs, and data, and everything! Have a gander, and perhaps pass it to those making the decisions, if it's not yourself.


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