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In 2003 NCMC got the ball rolling with its new Free On-site Consultation Service, nicknamed FOCoS. Assisting smaller museums in carrying out the various responsibilities of education and curatorial management, FOCoS supports the museum field in North Carolina. Qualifying institutions choose from two consultants from different areas of expertise including staff recruitment and management, volunteer management, marketing, public relations, fundraising, and organizational development.
FOCoS also provides another avenue to link museum professionals throughout the state. According to Neil Fulghum, NCMC president, "one of the purposes of FOCoS is to create links between NCMC members at different locations and encourage interaction of staff and communication between them." A grant from the North Carolina Arts Council was received to support one site focused on art. The NCMC Board approved a second site to be funded from the Council's operating budget.
The winter of 2002-03 saw the first Request for Proposals for the FOCoS program. The Board unanimously supported the recommendation that Iredell Museum of Arts and Heritage and Southport Art Museum receive FOCoS support at their April 14, 2003 Board meeting. Proposals were rated on the following criteria: financial need, expertise need, community support, intended outcomes of FOCoS, and overall strength of proposal.
Harry Warren and Sara Canfield from the North Carolina Museum of Forestry assisted the Southport Art Museum in the area of exhibit design and construction. Southport Art Museum gave the appearance of being a frame shop more than that of being a museum. As a result of the consultants' visit the museum changed its interior layout to reflect the importance of their collections, bringing their exhibits to the main gallery of the museum and moving their gift shop to the secondary gallery. Steve Bliss, the museum's director, is grateful for the help he received from the FOCoS consultants and is endeavoring to institute every recommendation.
Bill Cissna at Old Salem and Tullie Johnson of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences assisted the Iredell Museum of Arts and Heritage with marketing and public relations and volunteer development. As a result of the two floods that hit Iredell this year, museum staff have focused their attention on moving to a watertight facility and re-opening their doors. The consultants offered Iredell strategies for recruiting and retaining volunteers and improving marketing.
Learn more about the FOCoS Program.
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