Museum director: budget gave us no ‘succour’ – it is down to us to find new ideas

Director of Derby Museums Trust, Tony Butler, has said that measures such as the introduction of a tourist tax in the area or emergency funding from government are needed to avoid sector closures and redundancies in the region.

Speaking to DerbyshireLive, Butler, who oversees Derby Museum and Art Gallery, the Museum of Making, and Pickford’s House, said that extra money from the government was needed for the sector as funding from the city council had reduced by 65% since 2016, impacting local organisations.

“We have seen Deda become insolvent, Quad reducing its hours and we are facing big challenges – any means of raising income is very valuable.

“We had a business review 12 months ago. One of the suggestions was setting up a tourist tax across the city or East Midlands. People pay a levy every night they stay in the area, and the money goes into supporting the cultural economy – all over Europe, this is happening.

“Initially, we need emergency support for the next couple of years, and then we need schemes to build up income. This doesn’t just apply to us. As well as tourist tax, maybe we can combine with other organisations in a philanthropic way.

Speaking of the government’s autumn budget, which increased grant-in-aid funding for national museums and galleries but did not address the needs of local museums, Butler said: “The budget did not give us any succour. Certainly, our request was not heeded.

“But we have had some encouraging conversations with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport but I am not sure what it means, whether there is consideration for funding in 2025/26 or not, I don’t know.

“It seems it is down to use to find new ideas, including a possible tourist tax.”