24 Hour Museum has agreed terms with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to take over the running of ICONS, a flagship site commissioned by the DCMS’ Culture Online project.
The deal means that a newly-recruited journalist, Aline Tanner, will keep the headline-grabbing website fresh, boost the total of ICONS to 100, while 24 Hour Museum will maintain the site for two years.
“This is a great example of sustainable working,” said Jane Finnis, Director of the 24 Hour Museum. “We know we have the skills and expertise to get the most out of the ICONS concept. There are lots of benefits our partners in the museum, library and archive sector can bring to the new relationship, and of course we can bring our own audiences from 24 Hour Museum over to the site as well. It's all about making sure we get good value for public money.”
24 Hour Museum is working closely with ICONS partners including the advisory board to make sure the site develops in a way that respects the founding philosophy behind the site. Now Aline and the editorial team at 24HM are working on the next list of ICONS to be launched on the site - you can see what's been nominated at www.icons.org.uk
“ICONS has certainly grabbed readers in surprising ways,” commented Jon Pratty, Editor of 24 Hour Museum, now also responsible for ICONS.
“It has set the tone for a more interesting and wider-ranging debate about what makes English culture, and what makes an ICON of England. With the Olympics coming up, and an influx of cultural visitors to these shores, these debates promise to continue on ICONS.”
The next wave of ICONS will be launched at Christmas 2007, with a subsequent final announcement in late spring 2008, taking the total collection to 100.
