A new charitable company
On 20 June 2024, the Museum Data Service was incorporated in England and Wales as a company limited by guarantee (without share capital). The company number is 15790086. The founding members of the company are: the Public Catalogue Foundation (Art UK), Collections Trust and the University of Leicester. The directors are:
- Dr Aruna Bhaugeerutty, Head of Digital Collections, Ashmolean Museum and Strategic Lead for Museum Digital Collections, University of Oxford
- Dr Tilly Blyth, Director, Weald and Downland Museum
- Dr George Entwistle, Vice Chair Art UK
- John Stack, Director of Digital Innovation and Technology, National Gallery
- Paul Stevenson, Deputy General Counsel, Church Commissioners
- Steve Williams, Director Library and Learning Services, University of Leicester
Dr Katie Eagleton, University Librarian and Director of Collections and Museums, University of St Andrews will soon join the board as its independent chair.
The registered office is: Museum Data Service, C/O University Of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, United Kingdom, LE1 7RH.
With pro bono legal input from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, and specific advice on points of charity law from Womble Bond Dickinson, the articles of association have been drafted with the intention of registering the company as a charity, and this process will begin as soon as possible.
Strategic advisory group
A further group, drawn from the relevant stakeholders, will help locate MDS squarely within relevant strategic priorities of key policy-making and funding bodies across the UK’s cultural and research sectors. The group will also help the MDS engage with comparable initiatives outside the UK and with relevant initiatives in other UK sectors. The group members are:
- Lucy Bird, Policy and Research Lead, Art Fund
- Dr Tim Boon, Head of Research and Public History, Science Museum Group
- Sarah Briggs, Collections Development Lead, Museums Association
- Rheinallt Ffoster-Jones, Programme Manager, People’s Collection Wales
- Kelly Forbes, Digital Manager, Museums Galleries Scotland
- Josie Fraser, Head of Digital Policy, National Lottery Heritage Fund
- Emmie Kell, Director of Museums and Cultural Property, Arts Council England
- Paola Marchionni, Head of Engagement (Content and Discovery), Jisc
- Dr Mia Ridge, Digital Curator, Western Heritage Collections, British Library
- Professor Elena Simperl, Professor of Computer Science, King’s College London / Director of Research, Open Data Institute
- Barney Sloane, National Specialist Services Director, Historic England
- Suzie Tucker, Head of Strategy and Communications, National Museum Directors’ Council
User advisory group
Our early adopters are providing feedback as well as data during the start-up project. The group will be formalised and around ten additional members recruited through an open recruitment process, including researchers and developers interested in using MDS data. The aim will be to get a diverse group that represents a range of users and can act as critical friends on matters such as the user experience, comms messaging, training and other support needs, data ethics and future priorities.
Contractual arrangements during the start-up phase
While the new MDS company gets up and running, data processing and data deposit agreements entered into by organisations sharing data with MDS will initially be with the Public Catalogue Foundation (the registered name of Art UK) and later assigned to MDS. The Public Catalogue Foundation, is registered as a limited company in England and Wales (no 04573564), as a charity in England and Wales (no 1096185) and as a charity in Scotland (no SC048601).