Birmingham Museums Trust (BMT) is transforming into an open, participatory, and financially sustainable organization by implementing a five-year plan to redefine its sites and programs, involving community input through a Citizens’ Jury and focusing on cultural citizenship. Key initiatives include a physical transformation of sites like Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (BMAG), development of a Theory of Change, fundraising diversification, and creating a Cultural Citizenship Research Centre. The goal is to create a resilient, inclusive museum that tells diverse stories, fosters social trust, and engages the community in shaping its future and contributing to Birmingham’s growth.
Vision and Goals
- Open & Participatory:BMT aims to become open, participatory, and inclusive spaces for all diverse communities in Birmingham.
- Financial Sustainability:A key goal is to achieve organizational resilience and financial sustainability through income diversification and new business models.
- Cultural Citizenship:The trust seeks to foster cultural citizenship by empowering communities to shape the museum’s work and contributing to the city’s cultural and economic growth.
- Site Transformation:This involves physical changes to museum sites, including a major transformation of BMAG, and enhancing their digital platforms.
Key Strategies and Initiatives
- Citizens’ Jury:A Citizens’ Jury was established in 2024 to gather residents’ perspectives and inform the museum’s future direction and programming.
- Theory of Change:BMT is developing a Theory of Change to articulate and measure the trust’s vision and impact.
- Research and Development:The “Laying the Foundations” phase involves audience research, organizational review, and building the capacity to support the organizational transformation.
- Community Engagement:The trust plans to work with communities to create content, programs, and activities that reflect the city’s diverse stories and experiences.
- Climate Pledge:A four-point plan is in place to reduce the museum’s carbon footprint by improving buildings, changing operational methods, working with others to encourage positive environmental impact, and leading by example through public programs.
What the Work Involves
- Building Insights:Researching and gathering data on existing and new audiences.
- Developing a New Strategy:Creating a new business strategy to support the transformation of the organization.
- Fundraising and Income Diversification:Developing a strategy to increase income streams and secure long-term financial stability.
- Community Co-Creation:Involving citizens in the shaping and delivery of museum work through initiatives like the Citizens’ Jury.
- Programming and Content:Transforming museum content and programs to be more open, participatory, and reflective of the community.
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