News

IMA Membership Awards: Volunteer-led Museums

10 Oct 2024

The Irish Museums Association (IMA) are delighted to invite community or volunteer-led museums across Ireland to apply for an Institutional Membership Award.

Membership of the IMA connects the museum sector across the island of Ireland and our volunteer and community-based museums are an integral part of this community. However, while our lowest institutional membership tier is very modestly priced, we are aware that this amount can still be difficult for museums that work primarily in a volunteer or community context to raise. As a result, many of these museums are unable to access and benefit from the many offerings, free training, and other opportunites that we provide to our members.

These new awards will see up to ten Irish museums in need of additional support to receive free membership of the IMA for a period of two years, commencing 01 January 2025.

This new initiative is being extended as part of an IMA membership schedule review in 2024, where a small increase in fees for 2025 was agreed given that individual membership had not been raised for over 20 years. Members also agreed that concession membership would remain at €30 per annum and additional support - such as these membership awards - would be made to those museums who most need it, in recognition of the increase in inflation and cost of living that affects us all.

The awarded museums will be able to enjoy all the benefits of institutional membership, including a museum listing in the IMA's members' directory, free online networking sessions, free or highly discounted rates for training or major events, free access to the IMA archive, access to the IMA support desk, and much more. Click here for a full list of benefits.

Apply by sending a one-page letter of motivation to office@irishmuseums.org by the 31 of December 2024, with subject line: IMA Membership Award Application. Awarded museums will be notified in January 2025.