Executive
Director’s Report
For AMaGA Victoria, 2024 has been a year of meaningful engagement and strengthened connections. Our work has centred on launching new capacity-building programs, hosting industry-leading events, and amplifying advocacy for sustainable sector support models, especially for the small and community-run museums. From professional development to strategic partnerships, our efforts are designed to meet the evolving needs of our members and the communities they serve.
FUNDING
In 2024, AMaGA Victoria was grateful for continued support through Creative Victoria’s Creative Enterprises Program (CEP), with $340,665 annually over four years dedicated to our core operations. This essential funding enables us to maintain our services, while also allowing us to be agile and responsive to the changing needs of the museum and gallery sector. You’ll hear more about the innovations made possible by this support throughout this report.
Creative Victoria also allocated $193,000 to support the operations, training, and ongoing CMS support for Victorian Collections. An additional $45,000 was also awarded for a 12-month data migration project, to facilitate data transfers and expanding access to Victoria’s distributed collections.
SECTOR ADVOCACY
AMaGA Victoria continued to advocate strongly for a sustainable, inclusive, and well-resourced museum and gallery sector, with a particular focus on supporting small and community-run organisations.
We made formal submissions to both the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into the Cultural and Creative Industries and the Creative State 2025 consultation process, calling for long-term investment in people, places, and collections. Our advocacy was shaped by extensive member consultation via surveys, site visits, and public forums, ensuring that lived experience and sector expertise were front and centre in our recommendations.
Beyond these formal submissions, we actively participated in eight consultations across state government, university, and cultural sectors. These covered a broad range of issues including innovations in digitisation and access, distributed collections, strategic planning, and the social impact of audience engagement. In all forums, we championed the critical role that museums and galleries play in community wellbeing, education, and the safeguarding of and access to Victoria’s rich cultural heritage.
We also provided seven letters of support for infrastructure upgrades, significance assessments, and other initiatives, ensuring that members are backed by our endorsement where it matters most.
PARTNERSHIPS
Collaboration remained central to AMaGA Victoria’s work in 2024, as we continued to strengthen our relationships with key partners across the sector.
A highlight this year was our deepened partnership with the Public Galleries Association of Victoria (PGAV), through two flagship events. First, we co-hosted Victoria In-Focus during the opening day of the National Conference in Ballarat, which spotlighted the vibrancy and diversity of Victoria’s museums and galleries. The event offered a platform to explore the unique arts and cultural heritage of our state and reinforced our commitment to collaboration and professional development within the sector.
Later in the year, we marked the second year of our partnership on the 2024 Victorian Museums and Galleries Awards, an event that celebrates excellence and significant contributions across the sector. Our sincere thanks go to Archival Survival, Deakin University, and Science Gallery Melbourne for their generous support of the Awards, and to Sammy J, whose dynamic MC skills added a special touch to the evening.
Image: (L-R) Sammy J, Anne Robertson, Jason Smith, Ash Robertson and Anthony Camm at the 2024 Victorian Museums and Galleries Awards. Photo: Sharon Blance.
We also wish to acknowledge the enduring partnership with Museums Victoria in supporting the Victorian Collections (VC) project. Through this partnership, Museums Victoria continues to play a vital role in the leadership and evolution of the project. This continued collaboration ensures that Victorian Collections remains a cornerstone resource for the sector, supporting collections documentation, discovery, and access across the state.
Another highlight of 2024 was the Paid Internship Program, a partnership with Deakin University. This program welcomed its first intern in January, providing an invaluable 12-month paid placement designed to support early-career professionals. The program not only offers participants mentorship and on-the-job experience but also enhances their professional networks, ensuring that the next generation of museum and gallery professionals is well-equipped for success in an evolving sector.
MEMBER SUPPORT
In 2024, AMaGA Victoria continued to deliver key programs to support our members, including the Accreditation Program and Victorian Collections.
We launched the Equipment Lending Program, which offers small and community-run member organisations access to professional tools for digitisation, helping overcome significant cost barriers and building capacity. This year, we supported three organisations and look forward to expanding this initiative in the coming years to assist more regionally-based organisations.
As always, we offered a range of professional development opportunities, both in-person and online, and kept members informed through our regular Members Bulletin and social media updates. For more on these offerings, I encourage you to explore the full report, where we provide details on how these initiatives are strengthening the sector.
WITH THANKS
Finally, I want to echo the sentiments shared by Anthony Camm in his President’s Report, and add my personal thanks to our stellar Victorian team and dedicated Branch Committee. I’m particularly grateful to Andrew Hiskens and Anthony Camm, whose combined contributions and support shaped and strengthened our work. With 2025 already shaping up to be a promising year, I’m looking forward to what lies ahead—and to connecting with many of you at our upcoming events and networking opportunities.
DR ASHLEY ROBERTSON
Executive Director