Public Monuments and Sculpture Association (PMSA), Edinburgh Regional Archive
551 380
Description Public Monuments and Sculpture Association (PMSA), Edinburgh Regional Archive
Date 1997 to 2011
Collection Public Monuments and Sculpture Association (PMSA), Edinburgh Regional Archive
Catalogue Number 551 380
Category All Other
Scope and Content In addition to the database material available on Canmore, the paper archive of approximately 1500 survey forms and related research documents, and some 4,000 colour slides are kept at HES. Approximately 1500 slides have been digitised and are on Canmore, together with a further 916 digital prints. The range of sculptural works covered is considerable and includes inter alia architectural sculpture, statues, busts, funerary monuments, fountains, coats of arms, artistic ironwork and some pieces inside buildings with public access.
Archive History The PMSA Edinburgh Regional Archive was started in 1999 by Dianne King at Edinburgh College of Art, to compile an Edinburgh database that for the first time brought together accurate information on all public sculpture within the city boundary. The work of the project consisted of on-site surveys (many carried out by volunteers), historical research, database compilation, and finally the writing of the book, Public Sculpture of Edinburgh, published in 2018. This is a two-volume work by Professor Ray McKenzie of Glasgow School of Art, who joined Dianne King and the Edinburgh researcher, Tracy Smith, in 2011. Ray McKenzie's previous volume on the public sculpture of Glasgow was joint winner of the Saltire Society Research Book of the Year award in 2002. Since 2001 the PMSA Edinburgh sculpture archive has been based at John Sinclair House (RCAHMS, now HES) and the basic information from the PMSA Edinburgh Sculpture database was transferred onto Canmore, the RCAHMS online database, during 2010 -2011. The PMSA Edinburgh sculpture project has been supported by Eastern Photocolour, Edinburgh College of Art, the Edinburgh World Heritage Trust, Historic Scotland, the Hope Scott Trust, The Old Edinburgh Club, the Pilgrim Trust, RCAHMS, and the Scottish Archive Network.
Access Conditions The database material and digitised images are accessible on Canmore. The slides and paper archive are not yet publicly accessible.
Administrative History The Public Monuments and Sculpture Association (PMSA) was set up in 1991 with the aim of heightening public appreciation of Britain's public sculpture, and to contribute to its preservation, protection and promotion. It was a registered charity, which relied on the voluntary work of its members. Its many projects and publications were funded by subscriptions and by the generosity of a number of individuals, institutions and grant-giving bodies. It was wound up in 2020 and has been succeeded by the Public Statues and Sculpture Association (PSSA) https://pssauk.org/ A National Recording Project, begun in 1997, established a database of sculptures and monuments in Britain. (However, the Edinburgh database material is currently only available on Canmore.) The national project was sub-divided into regional archives, which co-ordinated the work of partner organisations and institutions, volunteers and paid researchers to carry out survey work, compile a database and produce a regional textbook as part of its acclaimed series Public Sculpture of Britain, published by Liverpool University Press.
Finding Aids PMSA data, images and pdfs are located under Images, Sites and Collections, accessed by entering Public Monuments and Sculpture Association in the Search box on Canmore. To locate the basic PMSA data in Sites, click on Canmore ID, go down to Events and click on the Event ID next to Recording (under Category) and Field Visit (under Type). PMSA data on sites with multiple sculptures, such as the Scott Monument and the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, is available in pdf format. In Sites, click on Canmore ID, then Digital Files within the lower box headed Collections, then Catalogue Number, then Download. The digitised slides are in Images, and are also in Collections, along with the digital prints.
Accruals Further accruals are not expected.
Accession Number 2010/16
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/collection/1180560
