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The Community Gallery at the People‟s History Museum
28 March 2012
Kate Chatfield, Exhibitions Manager
A bit of background
‘there have always
been ideas worth
fighting for’
PHM tells the story of
how ordinary working
people have organised
to improve their lives.
Community Origins
Trade Union, Labour and Co-operative
History Society.
The evolution of the PHM
• Late 1980s move to Manchester
• In 1994 expanded
• Oct 2007 closed for major redevelopment
project.
• Re-opened in Feb 2010
Shop, cafe and reception
Conservation studio
Archive reading
room
Changing exhibition gallery
Community Gallery
We exhibit exhibitions by community groups
or artists working with community groups
that;
• Link to our story
• Allow working people & disenfranchised groups to examine & tell their history
• Encourage wide access, increase visitor numbers and raise the museum profile, creating new audiences
• Are mainly from Greater Manchester
• Are good quality
• Where – engine hall
How we program the spaceApplication process
– Guidelines and simple form
– Member of the exhibitions team will meet and discuss
ideas before submission
• Selection process– Yearly programming meeting
– Assess every application received
– Representative from
SMT, Exhibitions, Marketing, Front of House &
Learning
– Balanced programme is selected
– Around 20% successful
– Some unsuccessful applicants invited to
resubmit
Duration
– Can vary but initially exhibitions changed
every 6 weeks
– Recently extended to run for aprox 10-12
weeks
Support for exhibitors• 2 days curatorial time
• 2 days technicians time
• Display materials
• Production of small
graphics panels
• Flyer/postcard
Templates
• Marketing support
via PHM website,
facebook, enewsletter
• 20 different groups in last 2 years;
Mostly Greater Manchester – eg
Manchester, Bolton, Salford,
– important to our funders
– important in attracting new & local audiences
Some from further afield in the north west
and occasionally nationally if they link very
strongly to our story
Variety of groups Open Book by Venture Arts
Mapping Memories by artist
Elizabeth Keeley-Morris
Antifascistas by International Brigades Memorial Trust
Kings by photographer Sabrina Fuller
International Women’s Day exhibition
Voices by MA Documentary
Photography Students
Hands On by Sense Wakefield
Positives– Relationships with community groups
– New & diverse audiences
– Boosts visitor figures
– PHM is „your museum‟
– Positive responses from visitors
– Positive response from exhibitors
– Enriches programme
– Passion of exhibitors
– Events
– Mark anniversaries /link to national initiatives
– Encourage new talent
– Confidence boosting for those involved
“I am writing to thank you for the amazing
experience the students at Sense had coming
to see their work up in a national museum ...
The chance to see their work displayed in a
professional gallery setting was
one they haven't experienced ... and the joy
was evident as they recognised their own work
and kept pulling the staff over to see it....”
Challenges
– Managing exhibitors expectations
– Conflict with trading
– Lack of financial support
– Pressures on staff time
– Limited equipment
– Lack of control over progress & content
– Generating & maintaining PHM staff support
– Difficulty in turning proposals down
– Visitor perception
– Link between exhibitions and PHM collections
– Not climate controlled space
Case Study - Retracing Salford
“ Excellent, very moving, poignant and utterly unforgettable. Thanks for preserving some of the community” Kath Tarbett, Terry Powell (Glossop)
“ A wonderful exhibition showing real people and lives of a COMMUNITY.” Pauline
“ Vey important work being carried out here. Only work that I can think of in last few years that involves positive engagement with Salfordian identities. Needs a permanent home in the city” Stephen Leech
Future plans /development
– Improvements to environment, equipment & branding
– Community representatives
– Programming
– Evaluation process
– Community exhibition funder
– Volunteer programme
– Smaller display as support towards a community
– Web resources
– Strategy meeting
Contact details
Kate Chatfield
Exhibitions Manager
People‟s History Museum
Left Bank
Spinningfields
Manchester
M3 3ER
0044 161 838 9190
