Hi,
At the GEM Conference last week in Liverpool, participants in the session on
'Open Minds: some challenges for socially inclusive museum education' were
asked about their views on social inclusion and to respond to 8 questions
about their work. In response, we are hoping to write a brief report for
GEM. The report will look at how museum educators are responding to the
social inclusion agenda, what their organisations are doing about social
inclusion, and what support they get or require. It's not so much about the
projects that are running, but more to do with the organisational and
professional support that people experience.
A great deal is happening to move social inclusion centre stage; for
example, the recent DCMS report & the Group for Larger Local Authority
Museums (GLLAM) will be publishing its social inclusion report next month.
GEM, the MA, engage and others have responded to the DCMS report, each
stating the role of education, exhibitions and outreach as key to involving
a more diverse, 'inclusive' public. As those at the delivery end, we would
like to hear the views of education officers themselves, as well as curators
and others.
To widen the debate, we would appreciate your thoughts on these issues. The
questions we asked were meant to stimulate discussion, and so are open-ended
& may take you until next week to answer, so please ignore questions you
don't have the time to answer. An overview of your thoughts wd be great.
We want to know if & how museums should respond to a Government agenda, what
your idea of 'inclusion' is and what museums need to do to become inclusive.
Museums & Social Inclusion - GEM 2000
How would you define 'social inclusion' and 'social exclusion'?
Have you ever considered yourself 'socially excluded' ?
The Government have stated that 'mainstreaming social inclusion should be a
priority for museums, galleries and archives'. Is this realistic?
How can museums become 'agents of social change' ?
How does your organisation tackle social exclusion ?
Should your organisation do more to tackle social exclusion?
If yes, what could it do ?
Should you, in your own work, do more to tackle social exclusion?
If yes, what could you do?
What assistance and resources are needed to help museums tackle social
exclusion ?
Please fax or e-mail responses by end September
Thanks
Ian Blackwell & Sarah Scaife
tel: 0191 222 1661
fax: 0191 261 4725
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