Strategy

The Irish Museums Association’s Strategy 2023-2027

Our Strategy 2023-2027 clarifies the association’s mission, vision and values while outlining a series of aims that will advocate for our members and strengthen the museum sector in Ireland.

This guiding document seeks to inform our activity over the coming years in support of the museum sector, while also identifying what changes we need to make to how we work in order to deliver effectively.

The Strategic Plan 2023-2027 was developed following external consultation with our members and stakeholders. To ensure that it is a ‘living’ document, it will be periodically reviewed and revised to adjust priorities, reevaluate goals, and inform our annual business plans as circumstances change and new opportunities emerge.

 

  • Context

    The Irish Museums Association’s Strategy 2023 – 2027 builds on the aims of previous strategies, outlining our vision of a strong organisation that advocates for our membership and bolsters the museum sector across the island of Ireland. 

    Framed in a post-pandemic context, it reflects the changing environment in which the museum sector meets the challenges faced by our society and has been informed by extensive consultation with our membership, our partners, and members of the wider cultural and heritage communities. 

    2027 will see the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the IMA. This provides us not only with the opportunity to reflect on the achievements of both the Association and the sector during this half-century period, to celebrate what we do well and continue to do this, but also to be self-critical and identify areas of improvement and avenues through which we can enact change and continue to have a vital impact on our communities. 

    As the ambitions of the IMA have grown, so have expectations for - and from - the organisation. Over the next five years, we aim to grow the Association and provide increased capacity to meet these demands, while ensuring we continue to extend a welcoming, equitable, and supportive platform. 

    By 2027, we aim to have strengthened the Association’s operational capacity and expanded our reach and resources to better support the sector: our advocacy work is among one of the offerings that our members have identified as the most important to them. To extend this, we need to adequately resource our programme offering - which informs this work - and evidence how the museum sector has transformed in recent years to fulfil an increasingly vital role in our society. 

    We therefore commit to working with our membership, our supporters, and partners to co-create and deliver offerings that meet their needs and lead conversations; to encourage the improvement of museum practice, access to our cultural heritage, and evidence the impact of the museum as we work together as a society to reach the objectives of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals in creating a better future for all. 

  • Our vision and mission

    We aim to be the representative voice for the museum sector, inspiring and supporting museum development across the island of Ireland.

    We are dedicated to the development of the museum sector so that everyone, visitors and practitioners, can enjoy the maximum cultural, social and educational benefit. We help develop and promote excellence in museum practice, the gathering and exchange of knowledge, identify issues of concern to the museum community, and advocate the valuable role of museums in society.

  • Our Values

    Excellence: We encourage and promote excellence in the museum sector, creating relevant experiences for our members and providing a platform for contemporary discourse around museum practice. 

    Inclusivity: We recognise the diversity of communities that are served by our museums and the role of museums in fostering a more sustainable future across the island of Ireland.

    Collaboration: We believe in the power of partnerships and alliances across sectors and the strength of speaking as a united voice to promote and develop the field as a whole.

  • Our Focus

    The main imperatives that will inform our work over the duration of the Strategy 2023 – 2027 are:

    • Strengthen the museum community: In a diverse sector, one that answers to multiple stakeholders across different jurisdictions, it is crucial that we extend a united voice and seek to provide a space of unity and equity, one that celebrates our shared cultural heritage, discussion, and collaborations, and inspires our communities to engage with the rich cultural collections that museums hold in trust. 
    • Demonstrate Impact:  Our museums make an important contribution to our society as places of learning, conservation, research, and interpretation; these are the record of our past, the touchpoint for our present, and our legacy for future generations. We will aim to advocate for wider recognition of their impact through evidencebased quantitative and qualitative research. 
    • Ensure Sustainability: Our sector exercises a high level of soft power in encouraging positive change, in our economy, environment, and social interactions. In seeking increased resourcing, both internally and for our members, we aim to strengthen this work and compliment wider efforts towards a better future. 

Irish Museums Association's Strategy 2023-2027

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