Independent museums in Argyll are set to benefit from a ground breaking partnership initiative which will secure a three year post for a cultural development officer.

Based in the offices of Kilmartin House Museum, the cultural development officer will help raise awareness and understanding of the culture and heritage of the area within the communities of Argyll.

Investment in the project is designed to free up the time of the only two professional curators operating in the area, Dr Sharon Webb at Kilmartin House Museum and Joanne Howdle at Auchindrain Museum, to allow them to devote their specialist skills to independent museums in Argyll and Bute.

The cover provided by the cultural development post will help the Argyll museums to achieve or retain accreditation with the Scottish Museums Council, making it easier to access funding and specialised training to ensure proper levels of collections care.

Accreditation will have additional benefit, as only accredited museums are authorised to borrow artefacts from National Museums Scotland. This will allow the museums to display objects via the Treasure Trove system, whereby Scotland`s heritage of portable antiquities and archaeological objects can be held by local museums for the benefit of the public.

Donald Melville, Communities Development Manager with HIE Argyll and the Islands said: "Cultural heritage underpins an area's sense of place, yet many of these museums are marginal organisations operating on an extremely tight budget.

"Accreditation will bring significant benefits in terms of collection advice, and vibrant changing collections will help the museums to attract new visitors and keep the interest of existing ones.

"The museums across the area operate in both the local and tourist markets and some attract a large number of primary school pupils. This project will help to boost sustainability for participating museums."

Dr Sharon Webb commented: "The person appointed will be responsible for promoting the museums as a place for inspirational and creative learning by developing lifelong learning activities, increasing access to and widening participation at Kilmartin, Auchindrain and Campbeltown museums."

Joanne Howdle, curator at Auchindrain Museum, added "This is an ideal opportunity for all the museums in the area to work together to strengthen the culture and heritage sector for the benefit of all concerned."

Argyll and Bute Council Leader Dick Walsh said: "The funding from Argyll and Bute Council, HIE Argyll and the Islands and the Scottish Museums Council is an excellent example of the Council working closely with partners to achieve a service that our own resources could not provide alone. The sharing of this post, with its co-ordination of activities role and the benefits of curatorial advice to the area's independent museums, shows the value of taking a flexible approach to improving services."