The Politics of Participation in Museums

As policy makers and funders continue to promote the benefits of participation in museums, how sustainable is this activity in a climate of cuts and short-term funding? Terms such as ‘co-production’, ‘co-curation’ and ‘co-creation’ are commonly used but what do these actually mean and are these participative approaches still viable?

This one-day conference on 12 November 2014 at The Old Courtroom, Brighton brings together key thinkers and practitioners to debate and challenge ‘the politics of participation’. Contributors will ask hard questions about the reality behind the rhetoric and, through a range of case studies, offer innovative, effective and affordable ideas for the future.

Contributors include David Anderson (National Museum Wales), Bernadette Lynch, Tim Desmond (Galleries of Justice Museum), Piotr Bienkowski, Helen Graham (University of Leeds), Tanya Harris (Hackney Museum), Marc Steene (Pallant House Gallery), Iain Watson (Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums) and Janice Lane (National Museum Wales).

Helen Graham, Director of the Centre for Critical Studies in Museums, Galleries and Heritage at the University of Leeds will take part in one of the conference round tables. 

Helen says of her talk:

‘This conference is very timely as no discussion of participation in museums should miss that this is a political question. Drawing on a recently completed Arts and Humanities Research Council funded project ‘How should decisions about heritage be made?’, I will argue that the very political imaginaries of museums and heritage ― ‘forever, for everyone’ ― often get in the way of more democratic participatory practice. 

‘In my talk, I will offer specific ways in which ideas of the ‘future’ and ‘everyone’ might be reworked: the ‘future’ might be seen as emerging from collections being alive and used in the present and ‘everyone’ might better be anyone, with objects, collections and themes generating their own decision making constituencies of people who know and care.’ 

Helen Graham is Research Fellow in Heritage and Director, MA in Art Gallery and Museum Studies and Centre for Critical Studies in Museums, Galleries and Heritage, University of Leeds. Helen’s background is in working in learning, access and participatory projects in museums and her current research explores specific sites of museum and heritage practice in the context of questions of democratic theory. 

The Politics of Participation on Museums is jointly organised by the Royal Pavilion & Museums and the University of Brighton.  It takes place on Wednesday 12 November 2014 at The Old Courtroom, 118 Church Street, Brighton, from 9.30am to 4.30pm. See here for further information including how to book a ticket.