{"id":37528,"date":"2020-04-16T16:13:53","date_gmt":"2020-04-16T14:13:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/icom.museum\/?page_id=37528"},"modified":"2023-03-23T15:43:05","modified_gmt":"2023-03-23T13:43:05","slug":"advocate-for-museums","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/icom.museum\/en\/covid-19\/advocacy\/advocate-for-museums\/","title":{"rendered":"Take action: Advocate for museums"},"content":{"rendered":"

The financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic puts at risk the future of museums and the livelihood of museum professionals worldwide.<\/span><\/h2>\n

As governments define their strategy and the emergency fund packages to cope with the impending economic crisis, the museum sector needs to stand together and collectively advocate for national, regional and local measures to ensure its survival.<\/span><\/p>\n

While museums are in lockdown, it is understandable for museum professionals to feel powerless – but there is a lot that you can do to bring about a positive change and help the situation of your and other museums (even from home!). Whether you have extensive experience advocating for museums or none, our collective contributions have the potential to strengthen the international museum community.<\/span><\/p>\n

In this page we have collected good practices, infographics and materials you can use to effectively advocate for financial aid and other social security measures to help your museum.<\/span><\/p>\n

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1. Establish what you need<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Assess the economic impact of the COVID-19 on your own museum and establish exactly what you need to ensure the employment of the staff (permanent and temporary), its daily operations and its programmes. This can be a specific amount of financial aid or concrete social security measures. A specific request will have a much bigger impact than a vague one.<\/span><\/p>\n

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2. Coordinate with allies<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

We are stronger together. Get in touch with local, regional and national museum organisations, including your ICOM National Committee<\/a>, to coordinate or join advocacy initiatives. Research other institutions and organisations from the cultural or creative industries sector who would be interested in joining forces. While in lockdown, there are many tools you can use to stay in touch, such as WhatsApp groups, Slack, Zoom or Skype.<\/span><\/p>\n

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3. Build a strong message<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Use the SPIT method to create a strong message and maximise its impact:<\/span><\/p>\n