Queensland Art Gallery Annual Report 1996-97

The Corporate Services Program provides a range of support services approximately 350 guests enjoying the Shop's hospitality while completing that are integral to the Gallery's capacity to operate successfully and their Christmas shopping. Repeat purchases and a greater awareness of underpin a diverse range of Gallery activities. In addition to undertaking new products were two of the positive outcomes from the evening. the core generic corporate services functions, the Program is very much tailored to support the institutional objectives of the Gallery by underpinning Production work has been ongoing during the year for the Shop's Business service delivery across the Gallery's programs. This is achieved through Plan initiatives, such as the Shop's new corporate image, Gallery merchandise adopting an approach that is client focused, flexible and responsive, ranges and the Gallery Shop Direct Mail Catalogue. Services are provided within the following functional areas: Financial Services • administration This unit is responsible for providing advice on financial issues to the Board, • commercial services the Director, Program Managers and Gallery staff. The unit maintains all • finance financial records, budgets, purchasing, capital equipment, investments and • human resources financial reporting. • information technology • protection & services In accordance with the Public Finance Standards, the annual systems appraisal was performed for revenue, expenses, assets, liabilities, payroll, During the year, Queensland Treasury undertook a review of the provision computer systems, risk management and workplace health and safety. This of corporate services within the Arts Portfolio to examine various options process ensures that the Gallery's financial systems and procedures are for increasing efficiencies across the Portfolio, while retaining the level of producing reliable information for decision making and are providing service currently available to clients. The outcome of this review will see appropriate levels of control to prevent losses, fraud, misappropriation the establishment, by the Under Treasurer, of a Corporate Administration and corruption. Agency from I July 1997 to service the corporate services needs of the Gallery as well as those of the Queensland Museum, State Library of Treasury's centralisation of corporate services placed the initial focus on Queensland and the Arts Office. As a consequence, considerable time the finance functions being operational in the centralised format as from and program staff resources were focused on the review and implementation I July 1997. To assist with the implementation phase, the Gallery's Finance phases. Officer was made available to the Implementation Team and the Principal Finance Officer was substantially involved with the establishment plans Commercial Services and processes. Further considerable input during the transitional period A reconfiguration of the Gallery Shop product mix was completed and post I July 1997 will be required. now includes a greater range of products. New stock lines include art merchandise and craft, with many new and exclusive products imported Human Resources solely through the Gallery Shop. Significant change for Gallery staff as a result of an internal realignment of program areas and the review of the Arts Portfolio by Treasury Department Merchandise featuring images from the Collection was also produced and presented the Human Resources Management (HRM) section with included postcards, notecards and a series of contemporary Christmas significant challenges. The responsibilities of a number of staff changed and cards. Boxed paint sets featuring Australian landscape colours in oils and there are uncertainties ahead particularly for Corporate Services staff. watercolours were also produced as part of the Gallery's merchandise Helping facilitate strategic planning, identifying impacts on staff of centralisation range. of corporate services, developing strategies to address these and providing skills for coping with change were major tasks over the last twelve months. Special exhibition shops were developed and operated successfully for the 'Arthur Streeton 1867-1943' and 'Paris: In the Late 19th Century' Computer training was the major focus of the Gallery's Training Plan, with exhibitions. In conjunction with the second Asia-Pacific Triennial exhibition, training provided for a wide cross section of staff in Word for Windows, merchandise was sourced from participating artists and a range of T-shirts CC Mail, using the Windows environment, as well as training in some of and postcards was also produced. The Gallery Shop produced a Triennial the more specialised packages for relevant staff. As well, training was merchandise brochure which was mailed directly to international bookshops provided to assist staff with the change process including Coping with and galleries from which wholesale orders of the catalogue and merchandise Change and Applying for jobs Skills. resulted. The Gallery received favourable feedback from the Commissioner for The top selling Gallery publications were The Power to Move (I 996) and Public Sector Equity in relation to progress towards achieving the objectives A Time Remembered (1995). Both titles sold out of their print runs, of the Equal Opportunity in Public Employment Act (EOPE). As part of the Gallery's annual reporting on EEO, a work environment survey was In December the Gallery Shop hosted a Christmas Shopping Party, with distributed to staff. The 23% of respondents (60% of whom were target