The Australian Government is proposing to refresh Significance 2.0 a guide to assessing the significance of collections to ensure that Australia continues to have a guide to assessing significance that meets the needs of contemporary collectors. It is envisioned that the revised guide will align with current and emerging best-practice standards in collections and cultural heritage management and the principles of our National Cultural Policy, Revive: a place for every story, a story for every place. Updating Significance 2.0 is an action under Revive.
Significance 2.0 was produced in 2009 by the Collections Council of Australia and continues to be widely used in Australia. It guides policies and processes in the Gallery, Library, Archive and Museum sectors, and allied fields. It is a teaching tool in university courses related to collections and cultural heritage management, and forms the basis of some grant programs and decisions on the management of our national cultural heritage. Significance 2.0 also has applications beyond Australia. It was the basis for the United Kingdom’s 2018 Reviewing Significance 3.0 guide and there are Indonesian, Spanish, Portuguese and Swedish versions in use.
Stakeholders are invited to have their say on what aspects of Signficance 2.0 should be changed or maintained. According to the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communication and the Arts, this may include feedback on:
- the significance assessment framework
- appropriate ways to document significance in contemporary collecting contexts
- the types of collection items featured in case studies
- the balance of creators, themes, subject matter, and media representation across the guide
- any significance-related issues requiring particular guidance
- terminology
- suggestions for useful tools or templates, and
- the design and format of the guide.
Specific case studies that could be useful for a revised edition would also be welcomed. A copy of Signficance 2.0 can be found here:
Significance 2.0 – A guide to assessing the signficance of collections
Feedback on Signficance 2.0 has been extended until October 6.
Have your say here.