Read section 7 of the V&A Collections Development Policy on Contemporary Collecting. See how this section fits into the overall policy.
An organisation should include a little of the history of how contemporary collecting has been approached in its Collections Development Policy as well as defining its own approach.
It is important that the needs of differing types of collections are acknowledged as well as the overarching principles that define it for the whole institution.
Tyne & Wear Archives and Museum Service include the following bullet points in their Collections Development Policy. It clearly defines the purpose of contemporary collecting for their organisation.
- Future collecting will reflect the diversity of the North East’s people and places. The contemporary collecting programme will continue to be inspired and guided by diverse audiences. Items collected should serve TWAM’s statement of purpose and be useful for research, a broad range of exhibitions, learning and other public programmes in order to promote and share diversity in all its forms, and showing particular regard for people with protected characteristics (age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity) and for people in different socio-economic groupings.
- TWAM’s contemporary collecting activity ensures that tomorrow’s history reflects regional diversity in all its forms and enhances and illuminates past collecting practice.