Projects
The Consultancy has managed over 100 commissions since establishment. A selection of projects is presented here.
Analysis and Planning
County Library Development Plans.
Clients: Sligo, Mayo, Leitrim, Kerry and Monaghan County Councils, Ireland.
Review, evaluation, consultation meetings, development of objectives and strategies. Plans have been developed for Sligo Mayo, Kerry, Monaghan and Leitrim County libraries.
Mid Antrim Museums Service, Forward Plan 2005-2009.
Client: Mid-Antrim Museums Service, Ballymena, Northern Ireland.
Forward planning for four Northern Ireland District Councils that comprise MAMS, (Ballymena, Carrickfergus, Larne and Newtownabbey).
Model Business Plan for the National Museum of Ireland.
Client: National Museum of Ireland, Dublin, Ireland.
Business planning training and facilitation to design a model for the writing of annual business plans within the Museum.
Tyrone Guthrie Centre Strategic Plan 2008-2012.
Client: Board of Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Annaghmakerrig, County Monaghan, Ireland.
TGC is residential workplace for artists, jointly-funded by the two arts councils in Ireland and managed by an independents board.
Strategic Plan South Tipperary County Museum, Clonmel.
Client: South Tipperary County Council.
Working with staff on preparation of the Museum's 2009-2013 Strategic Management Plan.
Strategic Plan 2006-2009, Derry / Londonderry Museum Service.
Client: Derry City Council.
Stakeholder and public consultation, staff workshops, preparation of plan for Council.
Evaluation and Review
Links: Partnership for Change- Interpretive Strategy for the Western Isles.
Client: Comhairle nan Eilean Siar/Western Isles Council, Scotland.
A commission to review interpretive strategy for Museum nan Eilean, the museum service for the Gaelic-speaking Hebridean islands of Scotland.
Review of Regional Development Challenge Fund.
Client: Museums Galleries Scotland.
Research and assessment across 10 projects funded by the £3.5 million fund, providing a qualitative assessment and report on outputs and outcomes.
Skills Building for the Future.
Client: Consortium of Highlands & Islands Museums, Scotland.
Review and evaluate 3-year up-skilling programme, funded by Museums Galleries Scotland.
Review and Framework Development Plan for Kerry County Museum.
Client: Kerry County Council, Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland.
Assessment and review, developing strategy and network proposals.
Review of Kinsale Museum.
Client: Kinsale Town Council, Kinsale, County Cork, Ireland.
Examination of all functions, staffing and displays and presentation of development and management proposals.
Scoping Study, Armagh County Museum.
Client: National Museums Northern Ireland, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Examine Museum to ascertain potential for future development taking account of collections and users, against a background of radical public sector reform.
Collections Assessment
Assessment and Evaluation of collections of Dublin Civic Museum
Client: Dublin City Council.
Providing analysis and strategic proposals for future study, care and display.
Collections Assessment, Irish Agricultural Museum
Client: Paul Arnold Architects, Dublin.
Commissioned by The Heritage Council to assess importance and development options for nationally significant collections.
Kinsale Museum, Kinsale, County Cork
Client: Kinsale Town Council & Cork County Council.
Assessment of collections and preparation of an inventory.
Organisation Assessment
Museum Standards Programme for Ireland. Assessment of applications for accreditation.
Client: The Heritage Council.
Aidan Walsh is an assessor for MSPI and has undertaken assessments at Clare County Museum, Galway City Museum, The Hunt Museum, Limerick, Knock Museum, Limerick City Gallery of Art, Foynes Flying Boat Museum and the Museum of Free Derry.
Expert advisor.
Client: Heritage Lottery Fund, London and Belfast
Re-appointed 2009-2013 Expert Advisor and assessor of applications for UK Lottery funding. Commissions including assessments Inniskilling Fusiliers Museum, Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, No. 5 Vicar's Hill, Armagh, Northern Ireland and Castle Hill and Ranfurly House, Dungannon, Northern Ireland.
Advocacy
Ballymena Museum Service-2005-2009 Strategy.
Client: Ballymena Borough Council, Northern Ireland.
Reviewing Council support for local history in the Borough and providing external analysis and recommendation.
Collections Development Strategy for Scotland's Museums.
Client: Scottish Museums Council (now Museums Galleries Scotland).
Reviewing, researching and reporting on UK policy and strategy for innovative and collaborative collecting.
Feasibility Studies
Galway City Museum-Revised Feasibility Study.
Client: Galway City Council & the Heritage Council.
Preparation of a development plan and study for new Galway City Museum, including functional analysis of proposed building and definition of strategic vision.
Kerry Cable Stations Museum Preliminary Feasibility Study.
Client: Kerry Skellig Region Tourism.
Looking at potential collections, displays, location, management and funding of the proposed museum.
South Presentation Convent Visitor Centre Feasibility Study
Client: The Presentation Order, Cork.
Research and report on displays, costs, operation, staffing, management and conservation of collections.
Plunket Museum of Irish Education.
Client: Church of Ireland College of Education, Dublin.
Assessing collections and displays and making strategic recommendations on future development.
Project Development
'All Change' Project development and coordination.
Client: Northern Ireland Regional Curators Group.
Development and production of 10-venue touring exhibition on Social History of Railways.
Publications management.
Clients: Monaghan County Council and Tyrone Guthrie Centre for Artists, Annaghmakerrig, County Monaghan.
Two separate commissions to edit and manage the design and print of published summary strategic plans.
Staff Development
Training in strategic management planing.
Clients: The Heritage Council and Cork Collections & Museums Network.
Design and delivery of training for groups of museums.
Writing collections policies.
Clients: The Heritage Council, Museums of Mayo and Cork Collections and Museums Network.
Preparation and delivery of training in writing collections policies.
Facilitation
Report on Aviemore consultation meeting on Scottish Executive Action Plan for Scotland's Museums & Galleries.
Client: Scottish Museums Council (now Museums & Galleries Scotland).
Facilitate the preparation of a response to the Scottish Executive's Action Plan for museums in Scotland. Required sector facilitation, meetings and written reporting.
Knock Museum - developing a strategic plan.
Client: Knock Shrine Management
Facilitating workshop with staff and management to develop core aims and objectives for the first Strategic Management Plan for Knock Museum.