NEWS                                                     6 August 2003

Museums of the Imagination – website goes live

The startling art work produced by inmates at HMP Ford in West Sussex and clients of the Foundation Programme, a Brighton based day programme working with people with a history of rough sleeping to address substance misuse, is now on display on the Museums of the Imagination website www.semlac.org.uk/blackbox

As part of the Black Box project run by SEMLAC (South East Museum, Library and Archive Council), participants were invited to take part in a series of workshops led by poets and supported by museum staff and artists. Inspired by artefacts brought in by museums, and working only with images and words, participants created their own ‘personal museums’. The museum themes reflect the group's fabulous creativity and range from ‘Requirements For The End Of The World’, ‘The Museum of Fine Italian Art’ to ‘The Museum of Female Body Sculpture’.

‘There are no people like us in museums.’- Black Box Participant

The Black Box project, has established links with prison inmates, ex offenders and vulnerable groups through a creative scheme involving a number of museums and galleries in West Sussex and Brighton and Hove. The project has aimed to give a voice to those seldom heard and demonstrate that museums can have a role to play in the lives of everyone. Through the Black Box workshops, participants were able to enhance a range of skills – most significantly, those relating to communication. An increase in motivation, self esteem and confidence was another positive outcome. 

‘I got the impression that they (the inmates) felt valued in a different way as somebody was willing to take the objects to them’ HMP Ford key worker

As well as showcasing the work of participants, the Museums of the Imagination website is a valuable resource for any museum, gallery, archive or library interested in working with prisoners, ex offenders and vulnerable groups. Case studies, a signposting kit with key contacts, information and resources for those planning work with these client groups, and information from a recent seminar on the subject are all available.

Contact: Glynis Dear

[log in to unmask]

01962  858838

###

Notes to editors:

Museums of the Imagination

The website can be found on the SEMLAC website at www.semlac.org.uk/blackbox

The Black Box Project

Who funded the project?

Funding for the Black Box (BB) project has come from the Department of Education and Skills through a scheme called the Museums and Galleries Lifelong Learning Initiative (MGLI). The MGLI programme, now in its third year, is designed to test out new ways of working with lifelong learners in museums and galleries. The MGLI project programme is co-ordinated by the Campaign for Learning in Museums and Galleries (clmg) (www.clmg.org.uk).

SEMLAC and its role in the Black Box project

SEMLAC is the strategic body responsible for museums, archives and libraries in the South East. The Agency began operation in April 2002 to promote, lead, support and represent museums, archives and libraries, and to enable them to provide the best services possible to the public. For more information on SEMLAC see our website at www.semlac.org.uk.

Glynis Dear

Access and Learning Team Coordinator

SEMLAC

[log in to unmask]

01962 858838