MUSEUM TAKEOVER
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A RE-LABELING PROJECT AT NEW WALK MUSEUM, LEICESTER AUGUST 2018
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TOGETHER WE ARE STRONGER AS A COMMUNITY NEW WALK MUSEUM, LEICESTER JUNE 2018
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CONTENTS THE PROJECT An introduction by Project Curator Angela Stienne
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THE LABELS Read the 23 labels produced for this project
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AFTERWORD The future of this project and thanks
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CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP NEW WALK MUSEUM, LEICESTER JUNE 2018
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THE PROJECT In August 2018, refugees from the local community in Leicester took over New Walk Museum with a series of events they produced, including a re-labeling of the museum's collections, presenting new interpretation of the objects on display. This is the second edition of a re-labeling of the collections at New Walk Museum, initiated in Spring 2018, with two exhibitions in June and August. The new labels were written by local members of the community with refugee or asylum-seeker status, and part of creative writing workshops
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(Writing East Midlands), a festival (Journeys Festival International) and with the welcome participation of Leicester Arts and Museum Services, hosted at New Walk Museum. The project was facilitated by Angela Stienne, a museum researcher and Honorary Research Fellow at the School of Museum Studies, University of Leicester. This project was initiated with a number of visits to New Walk Museum, Leicester's local museum. The idea was to take the refugees who were part of the writing workshop to the museum, to introduce them to the collection and to locate the museum as a community centre where they can visit, learn, relax and have fun (for free). During these visits, they were particularly interested in the World Arts Gallery, where a number of objects originated from their country of origin. They wanted to explain what these objects meant and how the felt about these - this is the inception of the museum re-labeling. In this catalogue, you can find 23 labels produced for public exhibition in the museum. These labels were written by refugees from the local community, upon choosing objects in the museum. This catalogue is meant as an online support for the exhibition to allow individuals to (re) read the labels and join the conversation. You can find a reflection on this project at the end of the catalogue.Â
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AFTERWORD What is the role of the museum in the 21st century? How can we make the museum more accessible and bring new voices, new interpretation and co-production in the museum space? An afterword by Angela Stienne, Project Curator of the re-labeling. In Spring 2018, I was sitting in a meeting with local refugees in Leicester, discussing a series of events they had planned for a museum takeover at New Walk Museum in June 2018. The events included cooking, music,
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dance and craft. I asked them: have you thought about doing something with the objects? This was the inception of our museum re-labeling. Over a few months, I have been working with them looking at objects in the museum, doing writing and storytelling workshops. I listened to their stories, their interpretation of the objects, and it became evident that they knew a lot about these objects. Which shouldn't come as a surprise, since these are objects collected and taken from their original country. I designed a few labels; they brought an entire collection to light and to a new life. Museums are places of conversation and of community, but there is still little engagement with local communities and little effort to make coproduction a reality. While this catalogue is simply a brochure, I hope it brings to life the creative talent, the knowledge, and the positive impact of our communities to the museum world; and that the museum as an institution will become a place that fosters, nourishes and strengthens these relationships so the benefits are not one sided. We have experts, storytellers, writers and human beings in our community that must become a part of our museums and of our lives. Angela Get in touch: Twitter/ @angela_stienne email: as867@leicester.ac.uk
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THANKS SPECIAL THANKS To all the members of the creative writing workshop who have become true friends. Your creativity and friendship are a real treasure.
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TO THE MUSEUM Especially to the Outreach Officer Linda Harding for her tremendous work and kindness. TO MY COLLEAGUES Alex, Laura, Maddie and Oli for supporting this project from the start.
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