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Stepping Up Mapping textile industry related machinery collections across the North West region

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Stepping UpMapping textile industry related machinery collections across the North West region

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Philip Butler17 June 2013

For further information on the work of LCCMS, please contact us at:

Lancashire County Council's Museum Service

Stanley Street,

Preston

PR1 4YP

Tel: (+44) 01772 534061

Email: [email protected]

www.lancashire.gov.uk/acs/sites/museums

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CONTENTS: STEPPING UPEXECUTIVE SUMMARY 11. INTRODUCTION 22. OUR AMBITION 33. PROJECT DESCRIPTION 44. REQUIREMENTS OF THE BRIEF 5

4.1 Reason for Commissioning the Work..........................................54.2 Existing Documents....................................................................54.3 Methodology...............................................................................54.4 Skills Required............................................................................6

5. MANAGING THE PROJECT 75.1 Project Progress.........................................................................75.2 Project Contact...........................................................................7

6. THE PROCESS 86.1 The Proposal...............................................................................86.2 Submission.................................................................................96.3 Evaluation and Methodology.......................................................96.4 Indicative Timetable..................................................................10

CONTACT INFORMATION 10Appendix 1: Project Partners 11

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Executive Summary'Stepping Up' is a project to map textile industry related machinery in collections across the North West region. To some extent the project continues work begun in 1998 by the Northern Region Textile Curators Group under the title 'First Steps'. This was also a listing project for preserved textile machines covering ten contributing services across Northern England. A stated aim was that this pilot project should be built upon and replicated across the whole of the British Isles and 'Stepping Up' must share this ambition.'Stepping Up' is designed to be a case study of a subject-specific region-wide collection review. Working with identified partners this project will compile a comprehensive and detailed listing of the holdings across the region. The data will be analysed to form the basis of a project report that reflects the current situation and points to a sustainable future for the collections. 'Stepping Up' will also support the creation of a region-wide partnership of organisations enabling both strategic cooperation and skills sharing across the piece. At the end of the project a launch event will present the report, develop this partnership and provide a forum to discuss future initiatives. Work will start in July 2013 and completion is anticipated on 30 June 2014.

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1. IntroductionThis project brief is being circulated by Lancashire County Council's Museum Service (LCCMS) for the appointment of a consultant project manager.LCCMS operate 15 sites, 13 of which are directly open to the public, and 11 of which are directly managed as part of the Lancashire County Council museums offer. In addition, we manage four heritage venues on behalf of other Councils and care for Regimental Collections and significant long-term loan collections. The textile industry collections of LCCMS at Helmshore Mills Textile Museum, the Higher Mill Trust and Queen Street Mill Textile Museum are recognised as designated collections. This means they have been identified as pre-eminent and are of national or international importance in the context of non-national institutions under the Arts Council England Designation Scheme.As part of ongoing work and investment into these collections LCCMS hosted a regional seminar in early 2012 that targeted capturing knowledge around the industrial collections. At this seminar, and with support from Museums Development North West (MDNW), a project to audit industrial collections in the North West region was discussed. Although it was felt that an audit of this nature would be too broad and impractical it was agreed that a project concentrating on one discreet collection (textile industry related machinery) could act as a pilot for future work.This project is a bold attempt to compile a comprehensive audit and review of such collections dispersed across the North West.

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2. Our Ambition To audit textile industry related machinery collections across the region identifying both duplication and gaps within collectionsTo highlight items which should be considered to have local, regional and national significance to the development of the textile industryTo create a region-wide partnership that will allow textile industry collections to be viewed as a single dispersed collectionTo understand the nature and context of this collection allowing museums to make fully informed strategic decisions about

Use and audience engagement Retention/disposal

To view this collection in relation to the wider industrial heritage sector in this regionTo map the knowledge base of the region, so skills and understanding can be shared throughout and across organisations

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3. Project DescriptionWorking with identified partners, through a combination of self completion surveys and site visits, the consultant project manager will compile a comprehensive and detailed listing of the holdings across the region.The analysis of all of this information will form the basis of the project report. It will need to reference projects that have already been carried out or are in preparation in other regions (particularly Yorkshire and the West Midlands). Once complete it will reflect the current situation, pointing to a sustainable future for the collections and opening up opportunities for a number of future initiatives.The consultant project manager will be supported by the partner organisations providing information and site visits to collections where required. Where no specialist knowledge is held by the partner organisation on its textile industry related machinery collections, the project manager will 'buy in' time from industry specialists to provide this by means of a site visit.The project will also allow for the creation of a region wide partnership of knowledge allowing for both strategic cooperation and skills sharing across the piece. At the end of the project an event to present the report, develop this partnership and provide a forum to discuss future initiatives will be held.

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4. Requirements of the brief4.1 Reason for Commissioning the Work

LCCMS wishes to appoint a consultant project manager to produce an audit of textile industry related machinery collections held by identified partner and other organisations in the region and to map the knowledge base held within those organisations and beyond.LCCMS requires the consultant to manage the process outlined above, collate the data and work with the stated partners to produce a strategic report with recommendations for future steps.

4.2 Existing Documents MDNW SIF contract Feedback report from the LCCMS Monument Fellowship

Seminar April 2012 LCCMS Business Plan 2013/2014 Material generated from desk top research into projects

already carried out or underway in other regions e.g. First Steps report 1998

Self completion collection survey from participating partners

4.3 Methodology 4.3.1 Phase 1 - Collect the data and coordinate the

project partners Work to be completed: A desktop survey of textile industry related collections Inclusion of additional details on the desktop survey such

as knowledge and skills currently available 'on staff' or via partner bodies.

Specialist visits to collections where additional information has been identified as required through the survey.

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It is envisaged that this phase of the work will take no longer than seven months from receipt of LCC order.

4.3.2 Phase 2 - Collate and analyse the data received from survey and site visits to create a draft project report. Work to be included:

Audit of textile industry related collections Audit of skills / knowledge base accessible within the

region

It is envisaged that this phase will take a further two months to include the production of a draft report

4.3.3 Phase 3 - Produce a final strategic report with recommendations for a number of possible future initiatives based on this data. Tasks and issues to be addressed:

Coordinate a seminar event at which the audits and the strategic report are launched and partners are involved in discussions around recommendations.

Facilitate ongoing cooperation between partners in the region and beyond with the aim of providing advocacy and promoting joined up funding bids for future projects.

The consultation with partners, the final report and the launch and discussion event may take up to a further two months.

4.4 Skills Required

The successful consultant will have a track record in the field of project management, including the following skills as essential requirements:

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Excellent consultation and communication skills An ability to present information to a range of audiences Strong client-centred approach An ability to meet challenging deadlines An awareness of the issues relating to collections in public

ownership

It would also be desirable for the consultant to demonstrate Knowledge of the museum sector in the North West Knowledge of textile industry related history

The proposal should include CV (s) with full breakdown of time to be spent on each aspect of the project.

5. Managing the Project

5.1 Project Progress The consultant will be expected to attend progress meetings (where relevant) with the named contact, other designated officers from LCCMS, designated officers from MDNW and other partners and stakeholders where necessary. These meetings will be the forum in which any issues or possible delays impacting on the timely completion of the work will be raised.It is expected that these meetings will be set out at the inception meeting; however the frequency of these meetings may be changed as necessary to ensure the timely completion of the work in accordance with the plans.

5.2 Project Contact

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The day-to-day contact for the project will be:

Philip ButlerCurator of Industry & TechnologyLancashire County Council's Museum Service

6. The Process 6.1 The Proposal

The consultant will provide a proposal in response to this brief, setting out how the project will be approached and the method of working. The proposal should detail:

the range of professional skills of the people/person proposed for the project, including the CV (s) of the proposed project manager and their specific responsibilities

a resource plan showing the breakdown of chargeable hours between individuals and project stages

a timetable for the project, including milestones and dates, which takes account of the time needed to involve and consult people on drafts

detail costs including expenses

The consultant should provide the following information:

Your practical experience relevant to this commission Copy of your public liability insurance Two referees that can vouch for your ability to deliver a

commission such as this

Consultants should submit bids up to a maximum of £10,000 for this brief. This is a single set fee and is to include all travel, expenses and fees for professional advice.

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6.2 Submission Proposals may be submitted in writing to:Curator of Industry & TechnologyLancashire County Council's Museum ServiceStanley Street, Preston PR1 4YPOr electronically to:Philip ButlerE: [email protected]

Deadline for submission is 5pm 7th July 2013

6.3 Evaluation and Methodology When considering the apportionment of this work LCCMS will take into account the consultant’s proposal, the project methodology, the experience and quality of the individual(s), the consultant's resources and fee offer.

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6.4 Indicative Timetable

Date Action Responsibility

June 2013 Issue brief LCCMS

7 July 2013 Deadline for submissions Consultant

11-18 July 2013 Interviews LCCMS 19 July 2013 Award contract LCCMS

22 July 2013 Project Inception meeting LCCMS

30 September 201329 November 201331 January 2014

Progress reports to project team (5.1) Consultant

28 Feb 2014 Completion of (4.3.1.) data collection Consultant

30 April 2014 Delivery of draft report (4.3.2) Consultant

30 June 2014 Delivery of final report (4.3.3) Consultant

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Contact InformationPlease do not hesitate to contact us should you have any questions or would like to discuss any element of this report. Philip ButlerCurator of Industry and TechnologyLancashire County Council's Museums ServiceTel: 07824434246 Email: [email protected]

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Appendix 1: Project PartnersPartners to include but not be limited to all those expressing an interest at the LCCMS hosted Monument Fellowship seminar in April 2012Namely:Blackburn Museum & Art Gallery, Bolton Library, Museum and Archive Service, Bury Art Gallery and Museum, Wigan Leisure & Culture Trust, Gallery Oldham, Touchstones Rochdale, Tameside Museums, Salford Museums, Stockport Museums, Congleton Museum, Macclesfield Silk Trust, Museum of Science & Industry (MOSI), Nantwich Museum, Quarry Bank Mill, Towneley Hall Burnley, Williamson Art Gallery, Stott Park Bobbin Mill, Lakeland Arts Trust, Calderdale Museum and Lancashire County Council's Museum Service.