Future Proof Museums Notebook

Your future direction

How does your organisation define its role and purpose, its core beliefs and values? How is the museum seeking to make a difference to the world?

If you just want to organise the world a little more efficiently, you’ll get away with just a business plan. But if you want to change the world, leave your artistic mark, make a cultural impact or have ever used the word ‘transform’, then nothing short of a manifesto will do.

Manifestos are open letters of intent that are fundamental and defining. They terminate
the past and create a vision of new worlds. They demand attention, inspire and galvanise
communities around us and knowingly antagonise others. They provoke action.

Writing a manifesto is not easy but it is a true act of leadership. After all, it’s hard for people to follow you if they’re not sure where you are headed. Manifestos leave them in no doubt. They can and should trigger internal debate of the healthiest kind. They can and should trigger external debate of the most exciting kind.

Andrew McIntyre
Director
Morris Hargreaves McIntyre
Trainer on the Future Proof Museums programme

Download the toolkit to read more.