18. The Finances of Deaf Museums
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Intro Chapter 18
Finances are a major problem for all Museums, both mainstream Museums and Deaf Museums. Especially now: the Covid-pandemic was a very bad time for all Museums: no visitors. More recently the energy crisis has become a problem. A final problem for mainstream Museums: the rising personnel costs.
That is one problem that most Deaf Museums do not have to worry about: most do not have any paid employees. They depend on volunteers for most activities. Volunteers are the 'human capital' of Deaf Museums. But unfortunately, finding and keeping volunteers is not easy either.
18.1 The Finances
Finances
In our survey of Deaf Museums, we asked two questions about the financial position of the Museum. In the table you can see the answers.
Is your museum a commercial enterprise, do you make a profit?
Do you receive funding? From whom?
Kuurojen museo |
The museum is not a commercial enterprise. The costs of the museum are included in the total budget of the Finnish Labour museum Werstas. We of course apply for grants for special purposes like exhibitions. |
Norsk Døvemuseum |
We do not make a profit. The Deaf Museum in Norway is a part of a big collaboration of museums in our region, called Museene i Sør-Trøndelag (MiST). The museum in MiST receives fundings from the cultural department, so does the Deaf Museum. |
Musée d'Histoire et de Culture des Sourds |
Our museum is a “Law 1901” type association (non-profit organisation). We don't make a profit. We ensure that our finances are balanced. We receive grants at various levels, donations from individuals and associations. |
Deaf Heritage Centre UK |
We are an independent charity and receive funding through grants from Government departments, trusts and foundations, the National Lottery. We always have to apply for funding. Very little of our funding comes from other income. |
Døvehistorisk Selskab |
We have 80 members who pay 30 euro/year/member. The Danish Deaf Association supports us with 3.000-3.500 euro/year. But we had a project for registration in the years 2017-2021 which was supported with 70.000 euro funding. |
18.2 Income
The Deaf Museums in Finland and Norway receive structural funding from the national government - but only because they are part of large mainstream Museums. The other Museums depend on donations and grants.
The Musée d'Histoire et de Culture des Sourds can use a historic building for free. The Døvehistorisk Selskab can use 4 rooms in the School for the Deaf in Copenhagen, for free. The other Museums have to pay rent.
Sources of income are:
- admission fees - although several of the Deaf Museums do not charge for admission;
- contributions by members or friends of the Museum;
- renting out rooms;
- a Museum shop;
- donations.
"The Deaf Heritage Centre UK does not charge for access to its Museum, Archives and Library. As the organisation relies mainly on charitable donations , we would deeply appreciate visitors placing a donation in the Donation Box situated within the Museum Library. These donations help us to build up an Acquisitions Fund that is used to purchased new artefacts to preserve and display. (source: BDHS website)"
18.3 Personnel
In our survey we also asked about the people working at the Museum:
Do you have any paid employees? If yes: how many?
Do you depend on volunteers? How many volunteers work at your Museum?
The people who work at your Museum (as professionals or as volunteers) have they had any special training in Museum Skills, other relevant training?
In the table, you can read the answers.
Kuurojen museo |
We have one full time worker who concentrates on the Museum of the Deaf and deaf history. |
Norsk Døvemuseum |
We are going through a change when it comes to staff, but yes, we have paid employees. The Deaf Museum is working together with Sverresborg folkmuseum in Trondheim. Here we have about 30 employees. Three of these are involved with the Deaf Museum. We do have a volunteer group, The people who are working at our museum have been offered courses in sign language. |
Musée d'Histoire et de Culture des Sourds |
Paid employees: no. Volunteers: yes. It depends on the times but there is always at least one person. In addition, there is always someone present every Tuesday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. to receive the public. We’re planning training in cataloguing and archiving. |
Deaf Heritage Centre UK |
No paid staff. About 3 persons on a regular basis; about 5 on an irregular basis. Yes, they’ve had relevant training. |
Døvehistorisk Selskab |
We have only 6 volunteers and 5 board members who work for the society. |
Only the Deaf Museums that are part of a mainstream Museum (Kuurojen Museo, Norsk Døvemuseum) have paid employees. All other Deaf Museums depend on volunteers.
18.4 Volunteers
All Deaf Museums depend on volunteers; some do not have any paid employees (see above).
From the website of the Deaf Heritage Centre UK:
"The BDHS (British Deaf History Society) has depended hugely on the work carried out by volunteers and still does, even with the recent part-time appointments for the curator and archivist. For those who work with the museum, the volunteers have regularly had training sessions. Other volunteers have researched and been responsible for publishing books. Other volunteers help out with archives and other general work.
The BDHS is always grateful for any offer to volunteer with its work. If you are interested, please contact the office address on these web pages by email, phone or post."
Source: BDHS website
18.5. EU Funding
The EU has funded and is funding a number of projects for and sometimes by Deaf sign language users. The funding usually is for transnational projects with partners in a number of countries.
Each EU funding programme has its own rules and regulations. Usually, there are online forms to complete - with very many questions. Writing a proposal may take weeks or month and is not funded. Usually, there are regular calls for proposals with strict deadlines.
The chances of receiving funding vary per programme, but may not exceed 30%: 70% of all applications are rejected, but the percentage depends on the programme and how many applications were submitted.
The Deaf Museums project and the MADE project (Museum and Art education for Deaf Empowerment) were funded under the Erasmus+ programme: https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu
The SignHub project: "Preserving, researching and fostering the linguistic, historical and cultural heritage of European Deaf signing communities with an integral resource", was a 4-year research project (2016-2020) funded under the Horizon 2020 programme.
A recent call under the Horizon 2021-2027 programme, included a programme called "New ways of participatory management and sustainable financing of museums and other cultural institutions":
"Museums and other cultural institutions (such as libraries, galleries, archives, memorial sites, etc.) play a key-role in social inclusion and cohesion. They create the sense of belonging, build shared identities, promote cultural awareness and historical reflection, improve people’s well-being and contribute to sustainable development and growth at local, regional and national level. Nowadays, museums and other cultural institutions are facing several challenges such as scarce funding, new legal obligations with regard to their collections (e.g. related to intellectual property rights), insufficient numbers of visitors or, to the other extreme, massive tourist crowds, which necessitate new and expensive conservation means and security tools. All these challenges are threatening the existence and efficient work of museums and other cultural institutions.
(..)
Expected Outcome:
Projects should contribute to at least two of the following expected outcomes:
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- Explore new ways of participatory cultural management and sustainable financing for museums and other cultural institutions, in particular during and after times of crises such as the coronavirus pandemic.
- Ensure better access to cultural heritage and engagement with local communities, to preserve and strengthen social cohesion through inclusive and participatory procedures.
- Strengthen the sense of belonging to a common European space while respecting cultural and ethnolinguistic diversity, as well as developing an awareness of cultural pluralism.
- Promote the role of museums and other cultural institutions in well-being, health, resilience, social inclusion and society’s dealing with trauma and post-crisis recovery.
- Foster the role of museums and other cultural institutions in sustainable economic growth and regional development."
Source: EU Funding and Tender Opportunities
On the EU website Culture and Creativity you can consult an interactive guide for the cultural and creative sectors with all the funding sources of the European Union available in 2021-2027.