The University of St Andrews is applying to the Recognition Scheme to have the photography collection formally recognised as being of national significance. The Recognition Scheme (administered by Museum Galleries Scotland) is an opportunity for non-national museums, galleries and heritage organisations to officially have their collections recognised as being of equal quality and importance as those held by national bodies.
As part of the process, applicants are required to submit letters of support from people who know the collection and can vouch for its importance and quality. Laura Brown, Curator, Photography, is seeking your support by writing a letter in support of the application. Because of the breadth of the photography collection which numbers some 1.5 million photographs the application will focus on three themes which are particularly strongly represented:
- Early photography (defined loosely as pre-1860)
- Scottish landscape
- Scotland at home and abroad
If you have used the photography collection at St Andrews and feel able to write a one page letter of support in 12pt Laura would be pleased to hear from you. The letter might simply be a list of lectures or publications that reference the St Andrews collection.
The application guidance asks for certain information to be included in the letter:
- How, when and where you encountered the collection
- Why the collection is important to you, your field of research, or your community.
- Reference to a particular aspect of the collection which you find particularly significant.
To allow Laura time to assemble everything before the final application deadline, she would ask for the letter to be with her by 25 October 2025. The letter can be sent by email (as Word of PDF file) to her at lb317@st-andrews.ac.uk or by post to: Laura Brown, Wardlaw Museum, 7a The Scores, St Andrews KY16 9AR.
See more of the collection here: www.st-andrews.ac.uk/collections
Image: Thomas Rodger (attr), Bronze Age Pottery Urns found at Law Park, St Andrews, 1859. Courtesy of the University of St Andrews Libraries and Museums, ID: ALB-49-51-1
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