Paddy McNulty Associates have worked for organisations of all shapes and sizes, from small independent volunteer run museums right through to ACE National Portfolio Organisations museums, and world class universities. We always tailor our approach to meet your needs. You can see a full list of the people we have worked on our clients page. Here are a selection of some projects we have worked on:
Ditchling Museum of Art & Craft, Visioning and business development
Working with CultureRunner we delivered two visioning and business planning workshops. One with the staff of the museum, and one with the Trustees.
These workshops have helped the museum to identify a new vision for the museum and contributed it business planning. They provided an opportunity for the staff to develop as a team and explore how each area of the museum's activities contributed to the continued success of the museum and its future development.
City of London Corporation and the City of London Police, HLF Our Heritage bid for a new City of London Police Museum
Paddy McNulty Associates led and wrote the successful HLF Our Heritage bid that resulted in a new City of London Police museum being opened at City of London Guildhall.
This involved background and market research to support the bid, liaising with stakeholders from across the City of London Corporation and Police Force, and working with staff, volunteers, and other contractors involved in the bid and development process.
The British Museum, Supporting, and developing the training elements, of the HLF Skills for the Future Museum Futures bid
Museum Futures aims to attract new entrants to the museum sector from a wider demographic and socio-economic background than is usual. Participants will undertake a one-year paid traineeship at museums across the UK, helping them develop their understanding of the sector, and providing them skills and experiences to secure future employment. There is an emphasis on digital skills, with a digital preservation and management focus, that can support the trainees and museums in the future. Paddy McNulty Associates were closely commissioned to support the bid, helping to research, develop, and write the key training elements for this successful HLF application.
The Collections Trust, Evaluation and impact assessment of their museum sector outreach offer
For three consecutive years Paddy McNulty Associates have been commissioned by The Collections Trust to carry out an evaluation and impact assessment of their museum sector outreach offer. This work has helped the Collections Trust is identify areas of success and those in need of improvement, and supported their continued development of the programme.
Wiltshire Museum, Seeing the Light of Day (Archaeological Archives)
Paddy McNulty Associates worked with Wiltshire Museum, archaeological contractors, and DM Archaeologists in the South West researching the current challenges facing the long term deposition and funding of archaeological archives in the South West region.
The results of this project have contributed to the Historic England and Arts Council England sector-wide plan for Archaeological Archives.
Royal Society of Sculptors, Membership consultation and review
Working closely with the Chief Executive and Board of the the Royal Society of Sculptors we carried out the first membership consultation in the organisation’s 113 year history. This broad consultation helped them to identify and meet the needs of their members, leading to a series of developments so that the organisation can better support and represent its members, promote sculptor to a broader audience, and engage in new and innovative activities.
London Borough of Waltham Forest, Heritage Project Management and Chestnuts House HLF Resilient Heritage grant funding
Paddy McNulty Associates supported the museum and heritage services team in the Local Authority for six months, helping to secure funding and development for the Pimp Hall Dovecote and Leyton Cricket Ground. In addition to this we also represented the heritage service at all levels of the Local Authority, to external contractors, and with regional and national heritage stakeholders.
Following this commission we were further engaged to research and write a successful HLF Resilient Heritage bid for Chestnuts House.
UCL, University of the Arts London, London Museums Group, National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE), Museum and Higher Education sector partnership development
The hugely successful MUPI and Share Academy involved research, pilots, resource development, partnership brokering, and new facilitation techniques to understand, develop, and establish new mutually beneficial partnerships between museums, archives, academics, and Higher Education Institutions across England. The programmes involved working across all levels of stakeholders - volunteers within museums, partnership managers, DCMS, research councils, sector support organisations, and strategic support agencies.
The result was felt at national, regional, and local levels by all the organisations involved; and established over 100 museum/university collaborative relationships and projects.
Paddy McNulty Associates were lead museums consultant in Share Academy, and lead museums partner organisation in MUPI.
Kirkaldy Testing Museum, Governance and Organisational review, Business Planning
Paddy McNulty Associates were commissioned to undertake a thorough review governance, organisational review, and produce a new business plan and to make it a more sustainable and resilient museum. This commission included running consultation workshops with museum Trustees, volunteers, and stakeholders, that explored the mission, vision, and aims of the museum for the next five years, and how these can be achieved through practical steps that can be included within the new business plan. At the conclusion of this project the museum will have a greater understanding of its potential and a new business plan to help them realise this.
Museums Association and Arts Council England, Mentoring for All Programme
Paddy McNulty Associates and Laura Crossley Consulting were commissioning to conduct research into mentoring schemes across a range of sectors. Using an evidence based approach we developed the Mentoring for All scheme for the Museums Association/ACE, and delivered a workshop to prepare mentees before they began their mentoring relationship. The programme was then rolled out to 15 mentors and mentees. This project brought together research, application, engagement, and the development of training materials for a scheme of UK wide scope.
Museum Development Network, Strategic Review and vision
Working with Museum Development managers and teams across the UK we carried out a through review of the organisations strategies and activities. Following in depth online surveys, face to face and telephone interviews, and regional workshops this led to the new agreed constitution; closer collaboration between the museum development programmes; improved organisation support structures; and a more unified vision for museum development over the next five years. This work was undertaken in collaboration with CultureRunner
Hertfordshire County Council Museum Development, Archaeological Archives research and development
This project involved a research into the archaeological archives with Hertfordshire museums. Through desk based research, online consultation, and telephone interviews we established the level of archaeological archives in the County and challenges museums will face in accepted new archaeological archive deposits in the near future. Following this we developed a series of recommendations to support Hertfordshire archaeological archives for the next generation.
Museums Norfolk, Activities and impact review
Due to change in the funding landscape Museums Norfolk needed to demonstrate more effectively what activities they had delivered to support their members, and what impact these have had on the museums and wider museum sector in Norfolk.
We reviewed all their activity and evaluation data over the past 6 years, facilitated a workshop with members and museum development, and liaised closely with key stakeholders. This resulted in the organisation having a clearer understanding of its value and impact, and being in a better position to highlight this to future funders.
The National Archives, 2018 Archives and Higher Education Partnerships Guidance Review and Refresh
Following developments in the archive and Higher Education sectors The National Archives (in partnership with History UK) commissioned a review of the 2015 Archive and Higher Education Collaboration Guidance.
To support this project we carried out desk based research; online consultation; telephone interviews; and workshops with archive services, academics, and Higher Education Institutions across the UK. This resulted in an up to date and more accessible guidance document; supported by case studies that demonstrate the value and impact of cross sector collaboration.
The guidance has been promoted across the archive and Higher Education sectors.
Traditional Hertfordshire HLF Our Heritage project, participant training and project evaluation
In this project we were commissioned to develop and deliver evaluation training for six museum and heritage organisations involved in the project. We trained staff and volunteers in evaluation theory and practice, which they then utilised throughout the project.
In addition to this we undertook a thorough, and on-going, evaluation of the project that has helped the museums involved develop collaboration across the county; and demonstrate to HLF that their investment was well spent.