Independent foundations for museums to be set up<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): In an effort to have financially independent
\ncity-owned museums, the city administration will establish
\nfoundations to improve their performance and services, officials
\nsaid on Friday.<\/p>\n
Consultant for the foundation establishment project Mary Jane
\nEdleson and head of the Jakarta Historical Museum Tinia Budiati
\nsaid separately that the museums had problems financing their
\nactivities and improving their services.<\/p>\n
\"The foundations will unite all elements in the city community
\nwho are concerned about the museums and their collections, and
\nwill mainly financially support the museums.<\/p>\n
\"We've learned from other countries, where institutions like
\nmuseums are always supported by such foundations,\" Edleson said.<\/p>\n
\"The museums here are financially dependent on the city
\nbudget,\" she added.<\/p>\n
The city budget, however, is small compared to the museums'
\noperational expenses, which, according to several museum heads,
\nis about Rp 2 million (US$266) per month.<\/p>\n
Edleson said that such a foundation was established for the
\n240-year-old National Archives Building on Jl. Gajah Mada in West
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
\"It is such a good example that funds for the building and its
\nactivities have started to pour in,\" she said.<\/p>\n
She said she expected that the museum foundations could be
\nestablished this year, with the Jakarta Historical Museum in West
\nJakarta as the pilot project.<\/p>\n
\"Preparations have been made, like inviting heads of the city
\nmuseums to a series of meetings to get input from experts.<\/p>\n
\"The next step is that they (museum heads) should present
\ntheir visions for the future during the Festival of the Old City
\nof Kota in August,\" she said.<\/p>\n
The city is home to 60 museums, seven of which belong to the
\ncity administration. Four are located in the Kota area in West
\nJakarta, namely the Jakarta Historical Museum, the Puppet Museum,
\nthe Fine Arts and Ceramics Museum and the Maritime Museum.<\/p>\n
Another three are located in Central Jakarta: the Memorial
\nStone Park Museum, the Textile Museum and the 1945 Fight for
\nFreedom Museum.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Tinia said the museums would still belong to the
\ncity although each of them would have its own foundation.<\/p>\n
\"Policy making will still be in the hands of the city
\nadministration. The foundations will pay more attention to
\nsupporting the museums' activities to make them more attractive,\"
\nshe said.<\/p>\n
Tinia said the museums had been having problems improving
\ntheir performance due to their limited budget.<\/p>\n
\"We cannot have, for instance, qualified exhibitions if the
\nbudget is limited,\" she said. (ind)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/independent-foundations-for-museums-to-be-set-up-1447893297",
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