Bowes Study Day: What Now/ What Next?

On 17 February Felicia took part in the What Now / What Next? CPD Study Day at our project partner, the Bowes Museum, organised by the museum’s Learning Manager, Alia Cruz. The study day set out to explore ways to connect with communities that don’t, won’t, or can’t access our spaces, offering practical approaches to widening representation and fostering inclusion. It featured those who have worked to embed these practices within their way of working, alongside those with lived experiences.

Alia Cruz, the Bowes Museum’s Learning Manager

The day started with an Inclusion, Equality, and Diversity Workshop led by Jon Sleigh, a specialist in fine art and heritage engagement with a diverse portfolio of arts institutions, museum, and heritage sites across the UK. This was followed by brilliant interventions by Mac Williams, who shared his experiences as a Black miner in a predominantly white community; Gemma Scott, who told us how about her work with The Auckland Project, in particular who to engage audiences with the Faith Museum; and by James Crowther and Kathryn Henderson from the Northeast Combined Authority, who gave a very moving account on how to raise skills, confidence, and aspirations in young people in some of the most deprived parts of our region.

The afternoon session, the What Now/What Next Workshop focussed on LGBTQ+ histories and communities. Participants were asked to work collaboratively through break-out sessions to develop actionable resources that were later sent out to everybody who took part.

The day was a fantastic opportunity to meet other actors and institutions involved in making museums and education more inclusive and representative across the region. Thank you very much to Alia for including and inviting us!