envision

The context

The organisation

Local authority Gallery & Museum, run by Warwick District Council. Based in the historic Royal Pump Rooms building, the venue opened in 1814 as a centre for spa treatments and since 1999 after a total refurbishment has been home to the Leamington Library and TIC as well as the Art Gallery & Museum. The project was developed by the Art Gallery & Museum and Arts Development Team. 

Website: The Royal Pump Rooms, Leamington Spa

The project

Planning

project aims: 

• To extend young people’s awareness and knowledge of the visual arts 

• To enable young people to engage with professional artists and gallery staff in ways which will increase their self-confidence and aspirations 

• To encourage and build long term relationships between the art gallery & museum and rurally isolated young people 

Delivery

time-scale: Started March 2004, ongoing (promotion of website will continue). 

summary of activities: 

phase 1: 

• Behind the Scenes tour of the Art Gallery & Museum 

• Visual art workshops with lead artist 

• Curated ‘SK8’ display at the Art Gallery & Museum 

• SK8 tours to Kenilworth Connections 

• Artist studio visit and visit to Ikon Gallery 

• Displayed banners at opening of new skate park 

phase 2: 

• Introduction to web design 

• Creative discussion and activities to develop content (photography, manipulation of images, poetry, mapping, lifestyle, culture) 

• Exhibition design and interpretation, presentation skills 

• Accreditation through National Youth Achievement Award 

summary of outputs

phase 1: 

• Worked with approx 25 -30 young people – 6 young people visited the Art Gallery & Museum, 5 Young people visited Ikon Gallery, 4 Young People in the core group were retained 

• SK8 display and banner display for Skate park. 

phase 2: 

• Worked with 6 young people, 4 Young People in the core group were retained 

• Subcultures display and website for young people 

changes from original proposal: 

• Change of staff at the Art Gallery & Museum 

• Concentrated the work with one group instead of 3 

• Behind schedule due to problems recruiting young people 

• County Library service dropped out of the project (along with their mobile bus) 

• The WYAN worker went on maternity leave (phase 1) 

• Change of venue from Kenilworth to Westbury Centre 

 

Website: Connect 4

Outcomes

Impact on participants

outcomes for young people (phase 1): 

• ‘Art isn’t always just pictures & paintings’ 

• ‘Art is hard to do’ 

• ‘I’ve learned that art doesn’t have to be drawings on a wall to be called art’ 

• ‘fun working with people involved in the project’ 

• KSAG Art Gallery & Museum trail (their favourite objects) 

outcomes for young people (phase 2): 

• ‘Good fun and you get education from it. Really good fun’ 

• ‘A cool website which I am in and it’s just cool’ 

• ‘Loads of my ideas went in on the website so I felt I could make my own choices and decisions’ 

• More confidence about talking to gallery staff – wouldn’t have done before’. 

• Post it notes on gallery feedback wall 

• Website online survey 

 

Impact on others involved

outcomes for partners: 

• WYAN worker on maternity leave Phase 1 

• Phase 2 – positive – in discussion about how to continue to jointly develop and promote the website 

Institutional change

outcomes for gallery: 

• ‘Feel as if we are taking part in a virtual project, like knitting fog’ (momentum) 

• Plan to have an in-house briefing session before phase 2 commences 

• Enjoyed meeting and working with KSAG 

• Feel we now have strong links with the youth club and KSAG 

• Phase 2 – Enjoyed working with young people – finally achieved status space and senior management recognition for work with young people 

Lessons learned

What worked and what didn’t

success factors / learning outcomes: 

• Future projects with young people will focus on short term (phase 2 was completed in 8 weeks) or residential work. Residential work depends on a strong relationship with the young people or partner organisation 

• When working with the youth service the timing of the work is key – in the early stages time it to happen alongside existing youth club sessions (eg 7-9pm). Once you have established a relationship with a group this can be more flexible 

• Partnership agreements are essential, including expected behaviour, outcomes and regular meetings to review 

• Continuity and involvement of staff with the young people is key – for the young people’s security / relationship with you, and to benefit your own learning. eg. don’t rely purely on freelance delivery 

• Increased awareness of the community in Kenilworth 

• Website visitors are a valuable source of continual feedback to gallery 

• The project needs a status space within the gallery (achieved in phase 2) 

• Achieving recognition from Senior Management of quality of phase 2 

• Assign a youth worker to assist the lead artist and/or employ 2 artists 

• Don’t be afraid to risk doing it again even if it went wrong 

challenges: 

• Eventually recruited a group of young people (in an area where the youth service / provision is in a state of collapse) 

• Unable to establish a focus group (there is now potential with the website discussion groups) 

• Keeping the momentum of the project going (phase 2 momentum fine) 

• Motivating / managing the lead artist for Phase 1 (the artist required constant supervision which we didn’t have staff resources to cover). Phase 2 lead artist was excellent 

• 3 full time posts vacant at the Art Gallery & Museum mean that staff are having to cover other duties (gallery staff now re structured) 

Next steps

what next? 

• Presentation to all Art Gallery & Museum staff 

• Do bulk of practical work with the young people during a residential to help maintain momentum 

• Investigate potential existing rural networks for arts info points e.g. Live & Local 

• Partner projects should share ideas, experiences and good practice during rather than after completion 

• The website and dialogue it encourages will continue to grow. Helping to develop and inform future gallery work. Visit the Subcultures website at http://www.subcultures.org.uk 

Project website

http://www.subcultures.org.uk