Auchindrain under threat without cash injection

The future of Mid Argyll's much-loved Auchindrain museum could be in doubt without urgent financial support.

 

Auchindrain Trust is a member of Industrial Museums Scotland (IMS), a partnership of museums holding almost a quarter of Scotland’s recognised collections. The trust has called for an urgent cash injection if closures and redundancies across Scotland’s independent museums are to be avoided.

 

Independent museums like Auchindrain operate on a financial knife-edge with limited reserves. They are charities and the vast majority do not get any income from local or national government.

 

Since closing during the COVID-19 lockdown, most independent museums have seen their reserves rapidly depleted with half of them anticipating a crisis before the end of the summer. Some have already liquidated assets at great loss to support short term needs.

 

While Auchindrain receives financial support from Historic Environment Scotland, the amount it receives takes into account money generated from visitors and education programmes between April and October. This year the museum will earn just a fraction of this income, putting it in a difficult position.

 

"attachment_309956" "" "300"] Auchindrain Trust chairwoman Alison Hay

 

Auchindrain is likely to remain closed during the vital summer months. If the museum survives to the start of the 2021 season next April, it will be with a drastically reduced income for the year and it is likely to struggle until the 2022/23 financial year, putting an important part of Argyll and Scotland's heritage at risk.

 

IMS believes a financial relief package would be minimal in terms of the wider crisis funding but would be hugely beneficial, allowing museums like Auchindrain to help support Scotland’s recovery from the public health crisis as a key employer, educator and contributor to the community.

 

Alison Hay, chairwoman of Auchindrain Trust, said: 'Auchindrain is recognised as being of 'national significance' by the Scottish Government. It survived the Highland clearances and now, as a museum, it faces one of the biggest threats in its history.

 

'Additional funding and support are essential to secure the future of this unique place.'

 

IMS chairman David Mann added: 'Current business continuity funding isn’t accessible, adequate or appropriate for the cultural and charity sector. While we are grateful for emergency grant funding from Museums Galleries Scotland and the National Lottery Heritage Fund, support for the cultural sector is only at present designed for the short-term.

 

'Our growing concern is this additional support for the independent museum sector will come too late, after some members have closed permanently, staff have been made redundant and charities wound up.'