Perth Museum - Key MIlestones to Opening and Opening Programme
Perth and Kinross Council · 1 November 2023
Back to Environment, Infrastructure and Economic Development Committee — 1 November 2023 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
Page 1
PERTH AND KINROSS COUNCIL Environment, Infrastructure and Economic Development Committee 1 November 2023 PERTH MUSEUM: KEY MILESTONES TO OPENING & OPENING PROGRAMME Head of Culture & Communities Services (Report No. 23/292) 1. PURPOSE 1.1 This report briefs the Committee on preparations for the opening of Perth Museum at the end of March 2024. It gives an overview of key workstreams including the opening programme, key expenditure and governance arrangements in place from now until the Museum is fully complete. 2. RECOMMENDATIONS 2.1 It is recommended that the Committee: • notes progress towards the opening of Perth Museum and the revised governance arrangements in place for this final phase • asks officers to bring an update in autumn 2024 on the economic, community and tourism impact of the opening programme. 3. STRUCTURE OF REPORT 3.1 This report is structured over the following sections: • Section 4: Background • Section 5: Summary of key workstreams and governance arrangements • Section 7: Conclusion 4. BACKGROUND 4.1 In June 2016, the Council approved capital expenditure to the Perth Cultural Transformation Programme following detailed appraisal of the visitor market for Perth. This money was for a variety of projects which aimed to strengthen the cultural tourism offer in Perth. £20M was allocated towards a new cultural attraction capable of bringing an additional 100,000+ visitors annually to the city and a bid for the Stone of Destiny, also known as the Stone of Scone, to move to Perth, close to its place of origin. A site options appraisal recommended the former Perth City Hall for redevelopment to become this new attraction. Perth Museum is 3,200 square metres of which 500sqm are dedicated to temporary displays enabling major loan exhibitions to tour to Perth. Tay Cities Growth Deal funding of £10M was secured for the Perth
Page 2
Museum project in November 2018. In December 2020, the First Minister confirmed to the Scottish Parliament that the Stone of Destiny would move to Perth for display in the new Museum. 4.2 Construction of Perth Museum started in March 2021 and concluded in August 2023 with progress reported via regular capital monitoring reports to Finance and Resources Committee. The construction phase was delivered on time and to the total approved budget of £27.2M. The focus is now on completing internal fit-out, visitor marketing and promotion, and planning/delivering the opening programme. 4.3 Expenditure for these workstreams is being met through the additional £0.5M annual revenue approved by the Council in February 2017 for development and operating costs relating to Perth Museum. In addition, £130,000 of funding was secured from Creative Scotland, which is ringfenced for public programme costs. Key expenditure headings are as follows: • operational fit-out and related costs including facilities management staff • collections management, conservation costs • exhibition and interpretation costs, including cost of loans, transport, insurance and development of interpretation content • marketing and promotion costs • opening programme costs including artist/producer fees 4.4 Tay Cities Deal capital expenditure is monitored and reported through the TCD Programme Management Office. It is also reported to the TCD Joint Committee. 5. SUMMARY OF KEY WORKSTREAMS Building commissioning/fit out 5.1 The interpretation theme of the Museum is ‘Ancient Roots’ and how Perth as the original capital of Scotland shaped its early story as a new nation, with the Stone of Destiny as central to ideas of both Scottish and British national identity. Subsequent displays, several of which have been co-produced with our communities, tell later historical stories including the impact of the Jacobite Risings and the Clearances in Perth and Kinross, the rise of local industry and the development of Highland tourism. The displays also explore Perthshire Gaelic culture, the impact of slavery and colonialism on how we interpret our heritage today, and other key issues. 5.2 Installation of museum displays is underway led by Culture Perth and Kinross, the Council’s delivery partner which will operate Perth Museum. The Perth and Kinross Council Museum collections, which have National Recognition Status, are central to the displays, some of which are being shown for the first time in many years. Significant conservation and research have been carried out to support this.
Page 3
5.3 The Museum café operator is currently being procured through the public procurement process with the successful operator expected to be confirmed by the end of 2023 and on site by early 2024. The café fit-out is complete. Marketing and promotion 5.4 The Perth Museum branding, developed by Scottish company Tangent, was soft launched in May 2023 together with the new Perth Museum website. Further content was added to the website in late August. (www.perthmuseum.co.uk) The branding appeared on street advertising from July 2023 to September 2023 across Perth City Centre. 5.5 Posters are being used to promote the Museum across Council and Culture Perth and Kinross venues. Paid advertising spaces in Visit Scotland centres in Pitlochry and Perth is also being used. 5.6 Promotion of the museum and brand has also appeared in Scotland Magazine, (readership 100,000 UK wide, 12-month coverage) alongside an article on the Stone and Museum. 5.7 Adverts for the museum have also been placed at Real Time Passenger Information boards (bus stops). The Customer Information Point at Perth Railway Station, at the entrance to the railway platforms, now includes information on the Museum which will be updated regularly. 5.8 Teams within Perth and Kinross Council have been working together and with professional artists to make Perth city centre look more appealing and to promote the new museum by undertaking different window dressings which advertise elements of Perth Museum and help prevent fly posting in empty shops. We are working with letting agents to remove the ‘To Let’ signs on the high street and replace them with QR codes which will give potential retailers the relevant information. Brand Visibility 5.9 External banners were installed to the exterior of Perth Museum in October. 5.10 Conversations are ongoing to create advertising at Clear Channel advertising sites (local digital sites) as well as sites managed by Global Media (for pre- launch and post-launch, including billboards in and around Perth and Dundee, central belt and Scotrail in carriage sites). 5.11 Visitor market promotion with the travel trade has been underway since January. 5.12 Culture Perth and Kinross and Perth and Kinross Council have been jointly leading on the travel trade development, attending national events to promote the city and the museum, presenting at events for trade and developing rate sheets and product information.
Page 4
5.13 Staff have attended six events in 2023 with seven more planned this year and a further four scheduled for 2024 so far. So far, three tour operators have confirmed that Perth Museum will be on their schedules for next year. This is a positive sign, as often companies will want to experience the whole offer before they decide to include it on a schedule. 5.14 Familiarisation trips are a key part of the travel trade development and involve key personnel from travel organisations coming to the area to experience the product. To date, two have been hosted so far and have two more scheduled for 2023. More are expected in 2024 when visitors can go into the completed museum. 5.15 The Council is also in the process of reapplying for Coach Friendly status, first achieved in 2015. 5.16 Tickets for admission to the Stone of Destiny display (which is free but ticketed for capacity reasons) and the opening temporary exhibition will be available from January 2024. This will be via the Perthshire Box Office online portal operated by Perth Theatre and Concert Hall, with Culture Perth and Kinross and other local cultural organisations as partners. Opening programme 5.17 The opening programme for Perth Museum is currently scheduled for 29-31 March, which is the Spring Bank Holiday weekend. Discussions are ongoing with key project stakeholders including the UK and Scottish Government and others on detailed timing and content of the formal and ceremonial aspects. More details on these will be announced in due course. The title of the opening exhibition will be announced in January 2024. The opening programme will include specially commissioned theatre and dance, a family programme and local talent showcases. Familiarisation visits for local hospitality providers and previews for community groups involved in the Museum development will take place in the week prior to opening. Outreach and school engagement programmes have been underway since spring 2023. 5.18 Impact of the opening programme will be measured in terms of Museum and wider city centre footfall, Museum visitor spend and wider estimated Gross Value Added (GVA). Culture Perth and Kinross has developed evaluation tools for the Museum experience covering visitor facilities (catering, retail, customer welcome etc) and learning/engagement activities. These are in line with existing tools in use by CPK across its venues and services. CPK will employ external support to ensure robust evaluation is completed.
Page 5
Governance 5.19 Delivery of the museum project is managed by a senior officer group drawn from the Council and Culture Perth and Kinross and reporting through the Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) to the Perth Museum Project Board, chaired by the Leader of the Council. It includes officers from Regulatory Services for the events planning/public safety aspects of the opening, and economic development for the visitor tourism marketing and promotion aspects. 5.20 The Project Board will meet in mid-November 2023, February 2024 and May 2024 to oversee project completion. The Board will also receive recommendations from the SRO on post-project evaluation including achievement of visitor targets and the economic, community and tourism impact of the opening weekend. It is recommended that this is brought to this Committee in autumn 2024. 5.21 Arrangements for the move of the Stone of Destiny/Stone of Scone are being made in liaison with Historic Environment Scotland, which oversees care and conservation matters, and the Secretary to the Commissioners for the Safeguarding of the Regalia, who advise His Majesty the King on all matters relating to the Stone. 6. CONCLUSION 6.1 The Perth Museum project is approaching completion on time for the planned public opening at the end of March 2024. A number of workstreams are in place for this final stage of work with appropriate governance, monitoring and reporting arrangements in place. Author Name Designation Contact Details Fiona Robertson Head of Culture and Community Services (01738) 475000 ComCommitteeReports@pkc.gov.uk Approved Name Designation Date Barbara Renton Executive Director (Communities) 23 October 2023
Page 6
ANNEX 1. IMPLICATIONS, ASSESSMENTS, CONSULTATION AND COMMUNICATION Strategic Implications Yes / None Local Outcomes Improvement Plan Yes Corporate Plan Yes Resource Implications Financial Yes Workforce None Asset Management (land, property, IST) None Assessments Equality Impact Assessment None Strategic Environmental Assessment None Sustainability (community, economic, environmental) None Legal and Governance None Risk Yes Consultation Internal None External None Communication Communications Plan Yes 1. Strategic Implications Local Outcomes Improvement Plan 1.1 The work of the Kinross-shire Local Committee impacts on the following aspects of the Local Outcomes Improvement Plan (i) Poverty and cost of living (ii) Mental and physical wellbeing (iii) Digital participation (iv) Skills, learning and development (v) Employability Corporate Plan 1.2 Perth Museum impacts on the following priorities withing the Council’s Corporate Plan: (iii) Promoting a prosperous, inclusive and sustainable economy;
Page 7
2. Resource Implications Financial 2.1 There are financial implications to this report set out in para 4.3. Workforce 2.2 There are no workforce implications to this report. Asset Management (land, property, IT) 2.3 A lease for Perth Museum is being prepared with appropriate consultation factored in as the former Perth City Hall is a Common Good property. 3. Assessments 3.1 The report has been considered under the Corporate Equalities Impact Assessment process (EqIA) with the following outcome: (i) Assessed as not relevant for the purposes of EqIA. Strategic Environmental Assessment 3.2 The Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005 places a duty on the Council to identify and assess the environmental consequences of its proposals. 3.3 The report has been considered under the Act and, no action is required as the Act does not apply to the matters presented in this report. This is because the Committee are requested to note the contents of the report only and the Committee are not being requested to approve, adopt or agree to an action or to set the framework for future decisions. Sustainability 3.4 Under the provisions of the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003 the Council has to discharge its duties in a way which contributes to the achievement of sustainable development. Under the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 the Council also has a duty relating to climate change and, in exercising its functions must act: • in the way best calculated to delivery of the Act’s emissions reduction targets; • in the way best calculated to deliver any statutory adaptation programmes; and • in a way that it considers most sustainable.
Page 8
3.5 The report does not contain any proposals that will impact on the Council’s Principles for Sustainable Development. Legal and Governance 3.6 None. Risk 3.7 A risk profile for the opening programme is being prepared by the Perth Museum Senior Officer Group. 4. Consultation Internal 4.1 Communities SMT, the Corporate Communications Manager and the Regulatory Services Manager have been consulted in the preparation of this report. External 4.2 The Chief Executive of Culture Perth and Kinross has been consulted in the preparation of this report. 5. Communication 5.1 A Communications Plan is in place for Perth Museum, overseen by the Senior Officer Group. 2. BACKGROUND PAPERS 2.1 No background papers were relied on in preparing this report.