General
How can I contribute to the direction and activity of Museums Galleries Australia?
Museums Australia Incorporated is a membership body, wholly owned and directed by its members.
Each state and territory has a branch with a committee that responds to the needs and interests of members in that state or territory. Each of these branches has a representative on the National Council.
In addition to the state representatives, the National Council has members who are directly elected by the whole membership, including the office of the President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary (who collectively make up the National Executive). Council elections are held every two years.
Other members of the National Council include a Public Officer, the Immediate Past President and a representative of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) Australia Committee.
In addition to influencing the direction of the organisation through either standing for election to a branch committee or the national council, members are able to contact members of the National Council and various committees directly or, if they prefer, can convey messages to them via the National Office.
Members may also propose motions at the Annual and other General Meetings.
A complete list of branch contacts, National Council members and Standing Committees, is available from this website, as are the association's Constitution and By-Laws (see the relevant pages in the 'About Us' section).
Shipping
How long will it take to receive my membership card or other purchased item?
All purchases are administered and distributed from the National Office in Canberra. We are a very little office and may only get to the post office once or twice a week. We endeavour to have your purchases, whether it be membership or a shop item, in the mail within 48 hours. Large items like books will be registered and/or tracked with Australia Post.
If you have purchased something and haven't received it within 10 working days, please contact us.
Membership
How many membership cards do I get?
Individual members get one membership card. We are currently working on supplying e-cards that you can keep on your phone to save postage and card printing costs.
Organisational members get multiple cards that you can share with your staff and volunteers.
ORG A - 3
ORG B - 4
ORG C - 5
ORG D - 6
ORG E - 7
ORG F - 8
This also reflects the number of people that can take advantage of our member benefits, such as discounts to the National Conference and events, at any one time.
How do I sign up for membership?
Signing up to MA as a member is easy. Just go to Join MA and follow the instructions.
The only restriction to becoming a member of MA is that you must not be dealing in cultural material for profit.
Once you have paid for your membership, you will be able to access My Portal where you can fill in additional details about yourself or your organisation for the member to member directory, opt in or out of any of our communications, view past invoices, check our CPD points (individuals only) and check out your interest groups and any other subscription.
What is my membership fee used for?
Income from membership represents the primary income source for the association at the national level.
Your membership fee make a contribution to the publication of Museums Galleries Australia Magazine, a world class quarterly publication that is Australia's only national magazine for the museums sector. (Income from advertising represents the other source of income for this publication.)
Your membership fee also helps fund the operations of a national office. This office provides support for the National Council, the Executive and Standing Committees, as well as specific national projects. The staff of the national office ensure that association's records are maintained well and in accordance with the law. The national office also manages sales of publications, the e-mail bulletins, project grants, advertising in the magazine, as well as this website.
The national office provides support for Branches, Chapters and National Networks who ask for assistance in distributing newsletters, administering events and financial and governance guidance. The National Office also provides a central contact point for the Association, providing information for members and people interested in the Association.
Finally, a percentage of your membership fee is given to the branch in your state or territory. This money contributes to supporting state-based activities such as seminars and newsletters.
When is my membership due?
Memberships are generally due on the anniversary month of joining. For example, a member who joins in September 2008 would need to pay their membership again in September 2009.
You can view your current membership subscriptions using the My Portal link in the header menu of this website.
Do I have to be a member to join a National Network?
Yes. As indicated in the "Museums Australia Incorporated Constitution", and by-laws, network membership is only available to members of Museums Galleries Australia. This applies equally to the networks that levy an additional charge and those that do not.
Events
How do I obtain a bursary for the national conference?
Each year, Museums Australia hosts a national conference. Every effort is made to ensure that delegate fees are affordable and that the conference location will not lead to high accommodation or travel costs. In addition, to provide assistance to members who may find the cost of travel or attendance prohibited, a number of bursaries are made available by some of the State/Territory Branches and National Networks, and the Federal Government.
Priority is generally given to those in regional or remote regions, Indigenous, and those who have not received a bursary before.
Details of the bursaries are available from the conference organising committee in the state where the conference is being held, or else from the branch or network that is offering them. Notification will generally be made in the MA e-mail bulletin as well as on the conference website.
