Further information
Partnerships
Developing partnership working has been at the heart of our development. Our volunteer scheme now has around 200 volunteers at any one time, many of whom are students but we also have very experienced local residents who help make visits much more enjoyable and meaningful. Certainly we now depend on them to help us deliver the fun part of our programme in the Studios as well as helping out at the Observatory in Museum Gardens, Raindale Mill at the Castle Museum, and also helping catalogue the collections. We are grateful for all the help we receive.
The Yorkshire Philosophical Society and Friends of York Art Gallery are two of our very important supporters and increasingly we work more closely with them.
Partnership with the City of York Council has also involved us in their People Changing Places scheme which was funded by CABE. Exhibition Square was the focus of attention and helped us think about our plans for York Art Gallery. We were also happy to work with the city on the Illuminating York festival which has become so much part of the cultural programme. We are also working with City’s Youth Offending Team on community payback schemes in Museum Gardens. One project was the Bowling Green Hut which is now renovated.
As one of the five largest museum organisations in Yorkshire we took on the responsibility for managing regional Museum Development helping our colleagues with the Accreditation process and offering general support through the Museum Development Officers.