The project
Delivery
time-scale: April – October 2004 with the majority of contact with young people from May – October
overall project aims for Nottingham Museums and Galleries:
• Explore with young people the barriers that prevent them engaging with museums, galleries and contemporary art
• Develop good practice in including young people in aspects of museums & galleries’ policy and programming in a sustainable way
• good working relationships between the partner organisations objectives
• Offer creative learning experiences which demystify galleries and visual art for young people and youth agencies (and visa versa), and which support young people’s personal, educational and vocational development
• structures and support which empower young people to become creative decision-makers within the service, and input into gallery programmes
• Implement a training programme to build awareness, confidence and skills amongst staff to embed this work within all aspects of operation
• Establish connections with local youth providers and explore the connection between the youth curriculum to ensure that future provision is embedded within local youth arts
• Identify how best to develop a ‘Youth Panel’ scheme to sustain young people’s input into future practices
specific project aims for Nottingham Castle Museum & Gallery:
• Explore with young people, the barriers that prevent them engaging with museums, galleries and contemporary art
• Develop good practice by including young people in aspects of museums and galleries policy and programming in a sustainable way
• good working relationships between the partner organisations
summary of activities:
• d a group of young people with diverse experiences and backgrounds and started relationships between the gallery and the participants, and amongst the participants themselves, which have been sustained (this was not a pre-existing group)
• Explored representation of black people using work of Jamaican photographer / film- maker, Horace Ove, as inspiration
• Developed the young people’s practical skills in filmmaking, acting, digital photography and the creative word in all of its forms
• Developed discussion and social skills amongst the group, within the community, with gallery staff and artists
• Horace gave YP tour of ‘Pressure’ exhibition.
• YP participated in post screen discussion of the film, ‘Pressure’, with Horace (Broadway cinema)
• YP toured Nottingham with Horace to give their perspective of Black heritage issues
• Visited Newstead Abbey to see how Black people from its history are represented
• Worked with film-maker and wordsmith to ‘Wordz Out’ films representing YP’s views about Black heritage and culture
• Young people discovered how museums and art galleries and their staff operate
• Involved all gallery staff at Nottingham Castle and informed their approach to their work with regard to attracting and involving young people
• Encouraged participants to apply for a volunteer placement at Nottingham Castle
• Invited to preview Wordz Out at UCG cinema as part of NOW Contemporary Arts Festival
• The preview of the Wordz Out film d a high number of requests for copies and is now being used by social services, youth workers, schools, Black arts organisations – looking at Black issues, dual heritage, etc
• 200 copies distributed by request, further copies being produced to satisfy demand
• Additional showcasing of the film requested by Councillors, Social Services and Schools.
• 3 participants have presented the project to wider audiences (en-vision Seminar, community newspapers, BBC Blast, BBC Radio Nottingham interview, en-vision National Conference)
summary of project outputs:
Explore with young people, the barriers that prevent them engaging with museums, galleries and contemporary art:
• Young people (YP) visited the Pressure Exhibition at Nottingham Castle, Newstead Abbey, Broadway Cinema showing of Horace Ove’s films, The V&A in London and the home of artist and writer Ray Shell at Newstead Abbey
• YP met a number of key black artists, members of exhibition staff at Nottingham Castle as well as interviewing members of the wider community
• YP discussed issues young black people faced and explored whether these had changed since the time of the Black Power Movements and the Race Riots of the 1960s
• They were able to reflect on the value museums and galleries had in supporting or hindering these issues. They were able to provide critical analysis and observations on how museums and galleries could develop
• YP’s expectations of museum and galleries were challenged
Develop good practice in including young people in aspects of museums and galleries policy and programming in a sustainable way:
• The young participants were involved in all the decision making on the project
• YP made aware that their views were important to us
• One of the YP is currently developing a Young Roots bid with the support of NCMG Outreach Officer
• One YP has been a volunteer for the museum service over a period of 3 months
• YP from the Wordz Out and the Angel Row Gallery Way In Way Out project ran a joint mini-workshop / presentation at the en- vision training seminar, Leicester.
• Young people from the Wordz Out project will be running a workshop / presentation at the engage one day conference ‘Consult! In Manchester on 13th June 2005
good working relationships between
the partner organisations:
See Way In Way Out
Embedding a youth friendly culture:
• Participants feel that there is the potential for their voice to be recognise
• All participants will be targeted in any mailing regarding the development of a youth panel (combined with the participants on the Way In, Way Out project)
• The experience and knowledge staff have gained will go forward in the planning and promotion of future activities across NCMG as well as through the dissemination of the films
• Staff have increased their knowledge and awareness of other initiatives and approaches in the sector to access, marketing and programming
• Staff now have a thorough understanding of the policy-based considerations of working with young people, as described in Way In Way Out
• Staff on a range of levels have experienced a positive relationship with young people and now have first hand experience to draw upon
• The gallery now has a pool of interested young people who have already taken up opportunities for volunteering and employment
• The Films are a professional product containing evidence with which to advocate for the needs of young people to future stakeholders
• Jes Hill (film maker) has provided two training sessions on working with young people and film making for Museum & Gallery staff and local artists. There was a high take-up and satisfaction rate with these sessions and they will be continued.
Outcomes
Impact on participants
outcomes for young people:
Developed new skills in;
• Using technical equipment, digital / SLR cameras and video recorders, design and production processes and timetabling
• Recording and editing information, working within a professional recording studio
• Discussing and communicating information
Also;
• Development of confidence and self- esteem
• Enthusiasm for the arts and culture / heritage
• Became ‘informed’ museum visitors, able to positively critique exhibitions / interpretation
• Able to articulate their own stories / issues and appreciate those of other cultures
• Understanding their views are important to society
Increased awareness of;
• The resources available within Nottingham City Museums & Galleries
• Cultural venues in two cities and how they work
• Contemporary film making and music production
• Own ideas around art through the inspiration of working with other artists
Feedback from the young people was very positive;
• Individuals commented on the positives of social relationships and teamwork
• All the YP who attended the launch expressed intense pride
• Individuals have subsequently extended their contact with the gallery through use of resources, help and advice from staff, volunteer placement
• A quote from one YP “first museum experience, I thought museums were just photos, paintings, yes it’s given me a different idea of what museums can offer”
Impact on others involved
outcomes for partner organisation’s:
• The role of partners became slightly confused at times and essentially the projects were led by NCMG. Apt and the youth service were not included in planning the details of the 2 pilots and as plans were formulated their roles became diminished and unclear (e.g. reducing age group of the participants, and targeting groups other than those which the youth service suggested in the early stages of the project)
• All partners feel that this could have been clarified by shared planning earlier in the process, with partners suggesting there needed to be a working agreement identifying specific contributions from each organisation, and more frank discussions about the partnership and about recruiting and supporting more challenging groups
• Staff changes at Apt part way through the project also impacted on their ability to support the project in an advisory capacity
Lessons learned
What worked and what didn’t
success factors / recommendations:
• Shared control or negotiated control- design your project to allow the young people to take over responsibility of specific areas of the project
• Information – Make sure that you have consent for all images and project footage. Allow the young people the opportunity to write or help you write project descriptions, information about participants and any publicity information. Make sure that the young people are included in any press images if appropriate
• Communication – young people communicate mostly by text messaging and mobile phones. Agree with the young people how you will contact them throughout the project and how they will contact you. Young people generally do not think in the 9-5 time-scale
• Be aware of the different dynamics an established versus a new group can have on project activity and time
• If individuals are recruited to form a new group be aware that you may need to take on the role
of group leader, which may bring a complex set of roles – mediator, negotiator, co ordinator etc. all of which need to be budgeted in as time
• Allow time for a group to form, gain trust and function as a collective
• Location, Location, Location! Perhaps on their terms – in their environment. Be innovative with the idea of utilising new non-arts spaces
• Programme your project to include leisure time (e.g., trip / visit, sports, music event)
• artists who are respected within the community you are targeting
• Use professionals, the aspiration, value, impact and credibility is higher
challenges:
• The projects succeeded at the expense of the partnerships. As the partners’ involvement became less relevant to the projects, it became easier for the museum & gallery service to continue alone in order to complete the project – but the potential value of working in a shared partnership was lost
• The Museums Service (with Apt) has developed a Partnership Policy, to improve the way in which it works with partners in future
Next steps
what next?
• Distribution of Wordz Out Films including the additional documentary of the making of project ‘Views Behind the Wordz' locally and nationally
• An additional showcasing of the film requested by Councillors, Social Services and Schools along with the preview of the documentary ‘Views behind the Wordz’
• Lessons learned will inform programme development
More information from Jo Kemp at jok@ncmg.org.uk
