Resilience, crises, and workforce care in the UK museum sector
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 19225855 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Elizabeth Crooke (0000-0002-6413-736X, University of Ulster, corresponding author), David Farrell-Banks (0000-0002-6951-7249, University of Edinburgh) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 1-17 |
| Publication date | 2026-05-18 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Museums & Social Issues (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1559-6893 • E-ISSN: 2051-6193 |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/15596893.2026.2668334 |
| OpenAlex | W7161562236 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 21 |
Museums’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been characterized as evidence of the sector's resilience. Concurrently, there is evidence across the United Kingdom of a shrinking workforce and stagnating sector. Drawing on interviews with museum sector staff conducted in 2021–2022 and in 2025, predominantly in Northern Ireland, this article critiques narratives of resilience and their impacts in the museum sector. This article suggests that individualized expectations and resilience can obscure the need for systemic change. Recognizing the long-term impacts of austerity and recent crises including the rising cost of living and international conflict, we argue for the need for an ethics of care focused on the long-term wellbeing of museum staff, contending that this is integral to the sustainability of the sector. This article calls for this ethics of care to be built into strong museums leadership, particularly at the level of governance and policy
Government (linguistics) · Public sector · Workforce · Workforce development · Workforce planning · Cultural Heritage Management and Preservation · Cultural Industries and Urban Development · Museums and Cultural Heritage
Resilience in Business and Management Research
Care-ful Work
The invisible architecture of creative and cultural work
Digital Engagement and Wellbeing
Museums in the Pandemic
Care, repair, and the future social relevance of museums
Positive affect as coercive strategy
Performative resilience
The pandemic politics of cultural work
The impact of austerity measures on local government funding for culture in England
Museums as supportive workplaces
Museum Closure in the UK
The MindLab Project. Local Museums Supporting Community Wellbeing Before and After UK Lockdown
Digital Museology Under Test
Communities, Change and the Covid-19 Crisis
Love Labour as a Distinct and Non-Commodifiable Form of Care Labour
The Amazing Bounce-Backable Woman
| Highly cited | No |
|---|