The Consortium
The Heritage Collections Care Consortium provides structured, ongoing professional support for organisations responsible for the care of heritage collections.
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Membership is designed to strengthen collections care practice, improve risk awareness, support emergency preparedness, and assist organisations in making informed, sustainable decisions about their collections.
The Consortium operates on an annual membership basis and combines expert advice, tailored reviews, practical training, and strategic guidance.
Who the Consortium is for
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The Consortium is suitable for:
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museums, galleries, libraries, archives, and historic houses
organisations with small, developing, or overstretched collections care teams
institutions managing complex, high-risk, or high-value collections
organisations seeking ongoing, structured support rather than one-off advice
How membership works
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Consortium membership follows a structured but flexible process:
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Organisations identify priority areas where support is needed
An initial consultation is held to understand context, risks, and capacity
A tailored membership package is agreed for a 12-month period
Support is delivered, reviewed annually, and adjusted as needs evolve
Membership is designed to respond to organisational change rather than follow a fixed template.
Membership levels
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Consortium support is structured across three levels, reflecting different stages of organisational maturity and complexity.
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Level 1 – Foundations
Focuses on establishing sound collections care practice, basic risk awareness, and emergency preparedness.
Level 2 – Integration
Supports organisations in embedding collections care, risk management, and emergency planning across teams, systems, and resources.​
Level 3 – Strategy & Leadership
Designed for organisations requiring strategic oversight, governance alignment, and long-term planning for collections care and organisational resilience.
Organisations may draw on elements from more than one level, depending on their needs.
What organisations typically gain through membership
Organisations engage with the Consortium to:
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clarify collections care priorities and risks
strengthen emergency preparedness and recovery capability
support evidence-based funding and resourcing decisions
build staff confidence and leadership capability
improve long-term resilience in collections care
Detailed membership information
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The full scope of Consortium membership — including services available at each level — is outlined in the document below.
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This document is intended for organisations and decision-makers seeking detailed information to support planning, governance, or procurement processes.