It’s been a while, I had a voluntary time away from writing and then an involuntary time away from writing and a stock of things I need to get out of my head and onto the page has grown. In order to satisfy some imaginary standards I set myself for content production here which predictably I haven’t stuck to, I’ll be shifting stuff I’ve written from elsewhere to here including blog posts for other institutions, stuff that only exists in hard copy and stuff from social media.
As someone whose job is involved with information management and preservation, modern social media is seemingly engineered to fuck this up as much as possible. Google isn’t good at digging through social media platforms (even its own ones) and Twitter’s search tools are abysmal as anyone who has tried to find something they know they saw fleetingly scroll past can testify. In order for easy reference and retrieval before it becomes irretrievable kipple, I’ll be putting some of this stuff here starting with this mini thread on Museums and… Brexit.
Originally posted on the 25th of July 2019 in response to the rising dread and panic that the UK is going to sleep walk and then crash[?] out of the EU and it’s going to be horrific but perhaps there’s a role for museums in the coming chaos beyond looking out for their own persistently threatened existence. Maybe?
Any cultural orgs out there have any #Brexit preparedness tips to share? Should community spaces be gearing up to act as crisis centres when systems (continue) to break? [DIGITAL TUMBLEWEEDS]
Here’s some ideas:
-Lowering projections for visitors, researchers and teaching.
– Network of city/region orgs for info & resource sharing.
– Suspension of non UK EU field collecting.
-Checking in with major suppliers about their suppliers & availability.
– Assume revocation of all EU licensed act.
– Frequent check ins and information for non UK EU staff and families.
– Suspension of all import export through EU
– Recall and return of EU loans
– Community ‘surgeries’ and ‘citizen advice’ style information points.
– Planning around European travel/conferences in short term.
– Increase provision for stress and mental health support
– review major projects on the horizon and resource implications
– lobbying for resolution on key legislation related to organisational activity
And that’s *just* what you should be doing if you’re insisting on being ‘apolitical’ about the whole thing which is pretty cretinous but who wants to bite the hand that slowly chokes you?
So reader from the future, how did we do? Did any of this happen or did we just bumble into oblivion failing to safeguard our staff, stakeholders and sanity? I’m not a betting man but…
Some good reads on the rising gorge, Museums and that bloody B-word
What Does Brexit mean for Britain’s Museums? Alistair Brown.
What a no deal Brexit could mean for UK museums Manuel Charr.
Fistful Of Cinctans 