Travelling Gallery Advisory Group Terms of Reference
TERMS OF REFERENCE:
TRAVELLING GALLERY ADVISORY GROUP
Revised Draft 29 October 2025
1. Vision, Mission and Values
Creative Vision
Our vision is a nation in which everybody has the opportunity to experience and engage in the visual arts.
Mission Statement
Travelling Gallery is a contemporary art gallery in a bus and is unique to Scotland. Our function and core mission is to take our exciting, diverse, and thought-provoking programme to every part of Scotland, allowing access and learning for all.
Values
Travelling Gallery’s values help the team and partners deliver our mission:
Accessibility
Travelling Gallery recognises that not everyone has access to art, we will continuously work to change this; ensuring everyone across Scotland gets the opportunity to engage with and experience contemporary art in their own community.
Creative Learning
We affirm that access to contemporary art can inspire lifelong learning and unlock potential. Through creative learning we believe curiosity, open-mindedness, imagination and problem-solving skills can be developed and nurtured.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
We are fully committed to having an equal, diverse and inclusive service. We strive to continuously strengthen these values by offering free, local access to art for everyone across Scotland, no matter their background, geography, age, ethnicity or gender.
Environmental Sustainability
We understand that the world is facing a climate emergency and have both mitigation and adaption measures to manage the impact of the climate on our organisation. We believe good environmental practice can be truly transformational in our organisation.
Excellence
To accomplish our vision, excellence is the benchmark of everything we do, from our high-quality exhibition programme to our touring logistics. We deliver the Travelling Gallery service with a respectful work ethic, instilling a Fair Work Framework for everyone involved in our organisation.
Welcoming & Enjoyable
We strive to create a welcoming environment where our visitors are greeted and given agency in our space. Making the experience enjoyable, inspiring and debunk myths that contemporary art is intimidating.
2 Background
Brief history
Travelling Gallery is a contemporary art gallery in a bus. It was initiated by the Scottish Arts Council (SAC) in 1978 with a vision to provide communities throughout Scotland with access to contemporary art. The service was transferred from the SAC to the City of Edinburgh Council in 1997 with funding to continue to provide a national service. In 2007, significant demand for the service and additional funds from the National Lottery and City of Edinburgh Council enabled the building of a brand new, improved, and inclusive Travelling Gallery bus.
Governance
Travelling Gallery is governed by City Edinburgh Council (CEC) and managed by the Museums and Galleries Division of the Culture and Wellbeing Service. Creative Scotland (CS) continues to support the Travelling Gallery through their Multi Year Funding with funding secured for 2025-28.
CEC has given Travelling Gallery autonomy in its artistic programming and creative learning whilst supporting it through in-kind and financial contributions.
All the Travelling Gallery team are City of Edinburgh Council employees and therefore adhere to the Employee Code of Conduct. Travelling Gallery follows CEC procedure and works with the correct departments to ensure systems and expertise are in place, this includes:
- HR
- Finance
- ICT (Customer and Digital services)
- Health and Safety
- Fleet Services (Vehicle)
- Legal, risk and internal audit
- Facilities and transport
- Marketing
3 Purpose of Advisory Group
As Travelling Gallery sits within a Local Authority we are not governed by an independent Board. The Advisory Group was set up in 2008 to advise and support the Travelling Gallery curator and team and bring an outside voice. The Advisory Group does not vote or govern. Members have an advisory capacity and have no decision-making responsibilities. The Group comprises an equal balance of City of Edinburgh Council staff members and external individuals with a relevant range of expertise, skills and duties to effectively support the ambitions of the organisation. A chair was appointed in 2023 to further professionalise the Advisory Group and relieve the Curator of these duties.
4 Duties
The Travelling Gallery Advisory Group advises and supports TG staff with all aspects of the operation, programming and strategic development of the Working within Travelling Gallery’s values and mission.
This includes:
Visibly supporting the Gallery and helping enhance their external reputation and profile.
Advising on a balanced programme of exhibitions and activities that reflect all aspects of the Gallery’s strategy and policy.
Advising on and disseminating Travelling Gallery policy, and the strategy for the implementation of this policy, in line with The City of Edinburgh Council’s Museum & Galleries strategy.
Advising, supporting and giving steer to the Curator in the furtherance of their duties. Encouraging ambitious and engaging exhibition programming, creative learning and partnerships.
Exploring opportunities for new partnerships across Scotland at local and national level.
Overseeing the management of the Creative Scotland Multi Year Funding and assisting with fundraising and promotion.
Advising on the appointment of the Curator, with the Chair or nominated Advisory Group representative participating in the selection process and interview panel.
Reviewing these Terms of Reference annually to ensure they remain accurate and relevant.
5 Reporting
The Advisory Group liaises with appropriate City of Edinburgh Council Departments, external partners and funders as necessary.
The Advisory Group reports directly to City of Edinburgh Council through the Curatorial and Engagement Manager, Culture & Wellbeing Division. The Council’s governing committee overseeing this division is the Culture and Communities Committee.
6 Governance
The Advisory Group must meet at least 3 times a year to attend to the above responsibilities and any additional matters as appropriate.
The Advisory Group membership should comprise 6-8 members of equal balance of City of Edinburgh Council and external members. This should include the Curator (Travelling Gallery), the Curatorial and Engagement Manager and 1-2 further City of Edinburgh Council representatives and 3-4 nominated external members.
The Chair is nominated by the membership.
The Group is quorate with a minimum of 3 members present, of which 2 must be external to City of Edinburgh Council.
Individuals shall be recruited for membership of the Advisory Group through open calls for expressions of interest and agreed by the membership, with the total reflecting a relevant and inclusive diversity of membership and balancing the range of individual expertise, skills and duties appropriate to the Advisory Group’s function as defined here.
All Advisory Group members will be invited to attend for a term of 2 years, with an option of a further agreed term to a maximum period of 5 years. The terms for the Curator and Curatorial and Engagement Manager are open-ended.
In addition to the above membership, invited observers can include key Gallery/Museum personnel and a Creative Scotland representative, as well as a formally selected student or work placement position participating in sector professional development experience.
7 Cycle of Meetings
Advisory Group meetings are held both in person and on-line. When in person the meetings are usually held in Edinburgh at the City Art Centre.
The Chair will organise each meeting with the TG Curator.
Agenda and accompanying papers will be circulated by the Chair at least one week prior to meeting.
A member of Travelling Gallery’s team will minute take and these will be circulated as Action Points afterwards.