European Commission - 7th Framework Programme European Museums and Libraries in/of the age of migrations last updated: February 2015


Taking it to the Streets

14-17 May 2014

Glasgow, United Kingdom | Commonwealth Association of Museums and Glasgow Museums, Scotland Street School Museum

 

The Commonwealth Association of Museums (CAM) and Glasgow Museums are promoting an International Symposium to investigate how contemporary museums are increasingly engaged in civic debate, and are developing exhibitions and programs to extend theur reach beyond four walls throughout the community and, by extension, increasing their benefit to the society.

Museums are increasingly engaged in civic debate and developing exhibitions and programs to extend the reach of the museum beyond four walls throughout the community and, by extension, increasing their benefit to the society. Museums take an active role in presenting timely, sometimes controversial issues to improve public awareness and understanding and provoke changes in behaviour. In the past 25 years, traditional audiences have broadened to include community groups (such as seniors, marginalized groups, cultural communities, and clubs of various sorts). And rather than considering them to be just an audience, community groups may now be partners in developing exhibitions and programs. Some museums are encouraging deeper community engagement – participatory governance – in which citizens are involved in all aspects of decision-making. In these institutions there is a commitment to enabling individuals and groups to engage more fully in political issues, in public policy and in the governance of the museum at all levels. These relationships pose challenges for museums committed to sharing authority whether on a project basis or considering sustained changes.

 

» link to the Conference