Australian University Art Museums Benchmarking Report: Summary of key findings

The University Art Museums Australia (UAMA) Directors’ Group commissioned a benchmarking study to identify the contributions that university art museums (UAMs) make to Australia’s visual arts sector and the community. The Directors’ Group hopes to use the information to define and advance the sector, and foster best practice. This report will also give other UAMs data that they can use to evaluate their own operations and deter mine future directions. UAMs comprise 26 per cent of the art museum sector. Their university art collections offer a rich cultural history and their exhibition programs attract university staff and students, members of the art community and the general public. They showcase prominent and emerging Australian, Indigenous and international artists through exhibitions, acquisitions, public art commissions, publications and festivals. Situated within universities, UAMs actively engage in both research and teaching. Their programs cross disciplines, and encourage discourse and debate. The vision and mission statements of all eight surveyed UAMs emphasise the importance of enhancing the university’s profile and providing a teaching resource for staff and students. These statements also prioritise working to best practice, entering partnerships and alliances to raise funds, and enhancing critical engagement in the visual arts sector