PRESS RELEASE - 10/02/2005

- For Immediate Release -

New Student Journalist Network To Showcase Regional Museums

A new scheme to encourage young journalists to write about regional museums is being announced today by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) and the 24 Hour Museum.

The Renaissance Student Journalism Network is a unique partnership between student journalists, museum staff, the 24 Hour Museum and MLA. The network provides 10 student journalists across the country with £500 bursaries to work one day a week for six months generating stories and features about regional museums. Their stories will be published on the 24 Hour Museum website, as well as on participating museums’ websites and in newsletters, bulletins and reports.

The £20,000 project is being funded under Renaissance, MLA’s groundbreaking programme to transform England’s regional museums. It builds on the success of 24 Hour Museum’s City Heritage Guides and is part of MLA’s strategy to help regional museums reach a wider audience.

Awards have already been made to students in Brighton and Birmingham. Brighton student Emily Sands, from Ipswich, will cover part of the South East Hub region and Roz Tappenden is based at BMAG in Birmingham and covers the West Midlands Hub region. Students are now being chosen in Bristol, Norwich, Manchester and London and other regions will follow in early February.

The students are managed from Brighton by 24 HM Editor Jon Pratty, with MLA contacts handled by Head of Communications Jo O’Driscoll and Project Director David Crowther.

- ENDS -

Notes to editors:

1. For press enquiries contact Fiona Cameron, MLA Media and Events Manager at fiona.cameron@mla.gov.uk, 020 7273 1459. For general enquiries about the bursaries, contact Jon Pratty at 24HM on 01273 820052.

2. 24 Hour Museum is Britain’s National Virtual Museum. It was set up in 1999 and is funded by the DCMS – the Department for Culture, Media and Sport - through MLA – the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council. The 24HM database contains information on over 3,300 UK museums, galleries and heritage sites. The site currently attracts over 400,000 visitor sessions per month (average duration of visit 10 minutes). In a recent user survey over 85% of respondents said using the 24HM website had made them more likely to visit a museum or gallery.

3. The Museums, Libraries and Archives Council is the national development agency for museums, libraries and archives, advising the government on policy and priorities for the sector. MLA's roles are to provide strategic leadership, to act as a powerful advocate, to develop capacity and to promote innovation and change. Museums, libraries and archives connect people to knowledge and information, creativity and inspiration. MLA is leading the drive to unlock this wealth for all. For further information visit the MLA website at http://www.mla.gov.uk

4. Renaissance in the Regions was launched by MLA in 2002. Its aim is to transform England’s regional museums. For the first time ever, investment from central government is helping regional museums across the country to their standards and deliver real results in support of education, learning, community development and economic regeneration.

Renaissance affects the entire museums sector. A network of ‘Hubs’ has been set up in each English region to act as flagship museums and help promote good practice. Alongside the Hubs, Regional Agencies and Museum Development Officers are providing advice and support, Subject Specialist Networks have been set up, and national museums are sharing their skills and collections. Renaissance is helping museums to meet people’s changing needs – and to change people’s lives.