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Hello Lesley I agree that the I Object exhibition feels rather safe and historically bound. The most important contemporary issue we face is that extractive industry and unequal consumption has begun to damage the planet's ability to sustain a stable climate, leading to massive injustice and threats to our future. You might want to join a Twitter chat happening today with the hashtag #Museums4Climate that addresses the question: How can museums support civic and community action on climate change. I started it up with the intention of fitting with the fact that it's Green GB Week and today's focus is community action. I'm setting up a Climate Museum for the UK aiming to support the museums and cultural sector to talk more about the climate emergency and to engage their audiences with it. See https://climatemuseumuk.org/ Best wishes Bridget On Fri, 19 Oct 2018 at 10:14, Lesley Walker < [log in to unmask]> wrote: > Hi Gemmers > One for a Friday morning. A year ago I posted a question asking how > museums, archives, etc were tackling some of the current issues faces the > U.K. and a few people responded including the LSE Library who were planning > a small exhibition on Brexit. I visited this yesterday and it was good to > see the documents about debate about the entry of UK into the Common Market > and papers relating to both sides of the historical and current debate > about Europe and our place in it. The Post it Board demonstrated the > polarization of the debate. But I was the only person looking at the > exhibition. I also visited Ian Hislop’s I Object at the BM last week which > was quite crowded and he included something quite subversive in the section > on subversion which delighted me! There was also an opportunity to express > opinions about something visitors felt strongly about and it certainly got > people engaged. I enjoyed the exhibition but I wanted more connection with > now - it was still being explored in very safe historical contexts. > > I am asking again if museums etc are tackling these issues in the light of > present events? Or are they using examples of historical dissent eg > Peterloo, Votes for Women, etc as safe context for dissent without moving > into the present or are museums etc avoiding the whole Brexit area and its > fallout - polarisation and dissent, immigration debates etc etc? Are > museums etc talking anything about our historic and current relationship > with Europe outside of WW1? To what extent is the idea of identity and > place tied up with all of this? Is there a way museums are exploring these > issues with their communities to foster some common ground or is it just > impossible given the polarisation? > > Would be very interested in examples or ideas. > > Lesley > > > > > > > Dr Lesley Walker > Heritage Consultant > [log in to unmask] > +44 (0)7748500933 > +61 (0)484897685 > Blog https://lesleybw.wordpress.com > <https://lesleybw.wordpress.com/2016/07/15/decay-and-resurrection-voyaging-in-hull-3/> > > > Sent from my iPad > > + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + GEM list: Contact the list owner > for assistance at [log in to unmask] Anyone can join for free at > any time by sending this message to [log in to unmask]: Join GEM > Firstname Secondname Include only the text above, without email signature > etc. The title of the email doesn’t matter. Send it to > [log in to unmask] If you are going on holiday or have an out of > office message for some other reason, you can send this message: Set GEM > nomail When you get back: Set GEM mail You don’t 'miss' any messages by > doing this as they are all available via main GEM list web page as above. > Finally, if you need to change your email address, but stay subscribed to > GEM, just send your new email address like this: CHANGE GEM > [log in to unmask] + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + -- Bridget McKenzie www.flowassociates.com aboutbridgetmckenzie.wordpress.com @bridgetmck 07890 540178 Please note I'm now 4 days a week with Flow, 1-2 days a week setting up Climate Museum UK so I may be slower than usual to respond to emails + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + GEM list: Contact the list owner for assistance at [log in to unmask] Anyone can join for free at any time by sending this message to [log in to unmask]: Join GEM Firstname Secondname Include only the text above, without email signature etc. The title of the email doesn’t matter. Send it to [log in to unmask] If you are going on holiday or have an out of office message for some other reason, you can send this message: Set GEM nomail When you get back: Set GEM mail You don’t 'miss' any messages by doing this as they are all available via main GEM list web page as above. Finally, if you need to change your email address, but stay subscribed to GEM, just send your new email address like this: CHANGE GEM [log in to unmask] + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +