The content on this page and other DCITA document archive pages is provided to assist research and may contain references to activities or policies that have no current application. See the full archive disclaimer.
Telling the stories of Australia through collections
Across Australia, there are numerous collecting institutions, including museums, archives, galleries and libraries that hold our memories of the past, our understanding of the present, and our vision for the future.
As illustrated by the runaway success of the National Library of Australia's Treasures of the World's Great Libraries, and the extraordinary visitor numbers to the new National Museum of Australia, Australians care about and are interested in learning about their cultural heritage.
To ensure all Australians have the opportunity to connect with the unique words, objects, images, and sounds that represent individual, community and Australian stories, the Cultural Ministers' Council created the National Collections Advisory Forum. The Forum aims to ensure that collecting institutions remain relevant, vibrant and accessible for future generations of Australians and international visitors.
Australia's story is told through a wide variety of collecting institutions. The Kelly Gang's famous armour is spread between a police historical society, the National Trust, the Victorian State Library and a private collection. The Victorian Archives have copies of gazette notices referring to the reward offered for information leading to the capture of Ned Kelly. Sidney Nolan's series of Ned Kelly paintings are held in various galleries, while libraries have many website listings, articles and books, such as Peter Carey's True History of the Kelly Gang.
Individually, each piece is an interesting and important part of our culture, but together they represent a story that is embedded in our individual and collective conscious from a very early age. Bringing stories like this together requires significant collaboration.
To assist the collections sector and governments, Forum members-under the leadership of University of Western Australia's Professor Margaret Seares-are looking at tools that will support collection development. In particular, they will develop a strategic framework for the collections sector. To assist with the framework's development, the Forum will undertake research on the varied reasons that individuals value collections.
'For the first time we will be able to see the full picture for Australia's precious collections, regardless of whether they happen to sit in a gallery, library, archive or museum, and whether they are situated in a city or a small regional town,' said Professor Seares.
The most significant issue the Forum will look at, however, is establishing a national industry body to unite the collections sector.
'The value of having a united voice is demonstrated through the success of the Australia Council for the Arts. It is now time to look at a unified model that will best serve the collections sector and bring galleries, libraries, archives and museums together to speak with a strong voice on behalf of the sector as a whole,' said Professor Seares.
Preserving pieces of our cultural heritage, such as the Eureka Stockade flag or the myriad components that make up the Anzac legend, is important to Australian society. These collections play a large role in enhancing regional cultural identity and community wellbeing.
The Forum will endeavour to support this role by providing an environment for the collections sector to thrive and prosper, and to enabling them to make visitor experiences even more interesting, enjoyable and readily accessible.
Contact:
For more information on collection development, go to the Arts and Culture section of the Department's website www.dcita.gov.au, then click on Distributed National Collection.