Hi all, many thanks for replies to my query on a project with young people, based around
contemporary collecting. Many ideas and brain storming later I'm now thinking about a
virtual museum idea and looking at the feasibility of a website. Anyone with examples of
such projects would be more than welcome to give their advice but for now I include a
summary of replies below:


Nicola:

Well, you're coming to hear all about Where Do You Come From on Friday
which has elements of contemporary collecting and display. (this is a great example, put
on by the NMS access and outreach team of ways in which young people can tell their
stories - in this case about their own immigration stories)

One idea I've had, but not yet been able to put in to practice, would be
to look at e.g. the Borghese travelling case in the Royal Museum and
work with a group of young women to look at differences and
similiarities between this, as a very high maintenance, extravagant
lifestyle statement of travel and personal grooming and, basically, what
teenagers today carry about with them in handbags, make up bags or if
they do go away overnight, etc. I'd also thought of offering them
make-over/manicure/nail bar treatment as the travelling case has a full
manicure set in it but also has facilities for making hot choc/coffee
(so I would have them think about Starbucks or Costa take-away foam
cups) plus a writing bureau whereas now they would just send text
messages.

However, getting back to your point, NMS recently had an exhibition on
handbags, drawn from various parts of the collections including Rose
Watban in contemporary crafts, Fiona Anderson in textiles/costume and
Chantal in Wider World - Chantal has recently added to the collections
with, e.g. string bags from Papua New Guinea: these were juxtaposed with
handbags from the high street and high fashion.

Christine McLean
Access & Outreach Manager - National Museums of Scotland

Nicola,
I don't know if this is of an use but I work a lot with Pallant House Gallery here in
Chichester. They have done some fantastic work with socially excluded young people -
Marc Steene is the man to contact.
Telephone number is 01243 774557
Marilyn

Marilyn McInnes
Chicester Cathedral


Hi Nicola,

This might be a good project to float at our next GEM meeting on 22nd
November, as we would like to cover working with and inspiring young
people. You may be able to gather ideas and advice there too and find
out what others have been doing.

Let me know if you are intersted in speaking or purely attending.

Best wishes,

Sue Pope

Hi Nicola

No case study I'm afraid but you're dead on about the idea of putting this
group at the root of the museum by giving them a collecting poilcy to mess
around with. If you want a rationale for this read Julian Spalding's 'The
Poetic Museum' (Chapter 3) where he identifies moribund collecting policies
as a major barrier to museums' getting in touch with their audiences. First
step is to persuade the trustees to change the policy!

Best wishes

Robin Clutterbuck
Museum and Heritage Learning Consultant
Dear Nicola

When I was working at Hackney Museum, I developed a project with a group of
12 boys, between the ages of 12 and 16 years old 'at risk of exclusion for
drug, alcohol abuse and crime'. Over a period of 6 months we taught the
boys social documentary photography techniques out of school hours;
therefore the project was entirely voluntary Over the course of the project
the boys recorded their lives through themes of colour, home, family and
environment. At the end of the photography course they had the opportunity
to photograph the band 'Damage' rehearsing. The boys then worked with me to
create an exhibition of their work. the exhibition included their best
photographs, their favourite photographs, a computer interactive, oral
testimonies and a soundtrack of music chosen by them. basically the boys
had editorial control over the exhibition and contributed ideas to all
aspects of it. The resulting exhibition was very popular with the target
audience of 12 - 20 year olds. As a result of the project the boys best
photographs were accessioned into the museums collection and the computer
interactive has become a permanent part of the museum display.

In the short term of the 12 boys that started the project, 11 completed it.
To my knowledge 1 boy since became excluded from school but has continued
his photography; another boy has gone onto do A level photography at the
local college; and another won a local photography competition.

If you would like any further information about this project please do not
hesitate to contact me.

I hope this is of some use.

Yours sincerely

Claire Adler

Dear Nicola,

I saw an exhibition at the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry in their
community education space, which was all about communication. This had been done
with a group of disaffected young people.

Hope this helps.

Kind regards

Bryony

Dear Nicola
I would be interested to hear any replies. Might be worth contacting Julie ellis at Surrey
Museums Consultative Committee (think her email is [log in to unmask])who
has been working as Youth and Museums Development Officer for the past three years.
Best wishes
Sharon Bristow
EPDP Manager
South East Hub

Many thanks to all.
Nicola

Access and Outreach Officer
Falkirk Council Cultural Services