The conversation
Are we commemorating the right anniversaries?
May Redfern, is the learning manager, Barnsley Museums and Arts; Gina Koutsika, is the head of national and international programmes and projects at Imperial War Museums
Dear Gina:
It’s not a case of right or wrong. In Barnsley, we have a responsibility to explore events that have a significant impact on our communities. The Experience Barnsley museum was created by, for and about local people.
The 30th anniversary of the 1984-85 miners’ strike gives us the chance to reflect on a battle between government, trade unions and mining communities, and the profound impact on subsequent generations.
We are running a year-long programme of events, which has started with an exhibition on Barnsley’s Women Against Pit Closures, co-curated by our all-female youth panel.
May
Dear May:
I agree – there are not necessarily “right” and “wrong” anniversaries. The Imperial War Museum (IWM) was founded during the first world war, so it is appropriate for us and our publics not only to commemorate its centenary with a vibrant programme of new galleries, exhibitions, learning programmes, digital products, digitisation projects, academic conferences and public events, but also to lead the First World War Centenary Partnership – a network of more than 2,700 cultural and educational not-for-profit organisations from 45 countries.
Gina
Dear Gina:
We have created a pop-up version of our strike exhibition, so that we can take it out on the road and collect people’s strike memories.
For the first world war, we will be tracking the lives of several Barnsley people from different walks of life during and after the war. We will share their stories during 2014, 2016 and 2018-19. Do we run the risk of creating anniversary fatigue?
May
Dear May:
Anniversaries arrive every year and when the year is a rounded number, their perceived significance increases. The first world war centenary spans more than five years. Isn’t it up to us whether we create “anniversary overload”?
We have time and therefore the opportunity to coordinate efforts; avoid duplication; experiment with new programming; form partnerships; learn from mistakes; and keep our audiences stimulated and engaged.
We can work together to create moments of shared experience and connect current and future generations with history.
Gina
Dear Gina:
Ultimately, it’s for the public to decide if they are interested in what we do. These events are hugely significant, but we need to be careful that people don’t become indifferent. So how we engage with people is fundamental.
Sometimes, waiting for an anniversary isn’t appropriate. The 50th anniversary of the hard-hitting novel Kes is coming up in 2018, but it is such an important story for Barnsley that we are looking at it now, because it helps us contextualise wider changes in the town that impact people’s lives.
May
Dear May:
Working with our audiences will bring success. Audience consultation has been vital in the development of IWM’s programmes, including our new digital platform.
The first world war has always been a key part of IWM’s story. Through the centenary partnership, we are thinking of the impact and planning the legacy of the events.
In 2019, we should not only have a fresh approach on the war and its impact, but also new means of commemorating anniversaries and novel ways of collaborating locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.
Gina
Dear Gina:
It’s not a case of right or wrong. In Barnsley, we have a responsibility to explore events that have a significant impact on our communities. The Experience Barnsley museum was created by, for and about local people.
The 30th anniversary of the 1984-85 miners’ strike gives us the chance to reflect on a battle between government, trade unions and mining communities, and the profound impact on subsequent generations.
We are running a year-long programme of events, which has started with an exhibition on Barnsley’s Women Against Pit Closures, co-curated by our all-female youth panel.
May
Dear May:
I agree – there are not necessarily “right” and “wrong” anniversaries. The Imperial War Museum (IWM) was founded during the first world war, so it is appropriate for us and our publics not only to commemorate its centenary with a vibrant programme of new galleries, exhibitions, learning programmes, digital products, digitisation projects, academic conferences and public events, but also to lead the First World War Centenary Partnership – a network of more than 2,700 cultural and educational not-for-profit organisations from 45 countries.
Gina
Dear Gina:
We have created a pop-up version of our strike exhibition, so that we can take it out on the road and collect people’s strike memories.
For the first world war, we will be tracking the lives of several Barnsley people from different walks of life during and after the war. We will share their stories during 2014, 2016 and 2018-19. Do we run the risk of creating anniversary fatigue?
May
Dear May:
Anniversaries arrive every year and when the year is a rounded number, their perceived significance increases. The first world war centenary spans more than five years. Isn’t it up to us whether we create “anniversary overload”?
We have time and therefore the opportunity to coordinate efforts; avoid duplication; experiment with new programming; form partnerships; learn from mistakes; and keep our audiences stimulated and engaged.
We can work together to create moments of shared experience and connect current and future generations with history.
Gina
Dear Gina:
Ultimately, it’s for the public to decide if they are interested in what we do. These events are hugely significant, but we need to be careful that people don’t become indifferent. So how we engage with people is fundamental.
Sometimes, waiting for an anniversary isn’t appropriate. The 50th anniversary of the hard-hitting novel Kes is coming up in 2018, but it is such an important story for Barnsley that we are looking at it now, because it helps us contextualise wider changes in the town that impact people’s lives.
May
Dear May:
Working with our audiences will bring success. Audience consultation has been vital in the development of IWM’s programmes, including our new digital platform.
The first world war has always been a key part of IWM’s story. Through the centenary partnership, we are thinking of the impact and planning the legacy of the events.
In 2019, we should not only have a fresh approach on the war and its impact, but also new means of commemorating anniversaries and novel ways of collaborating locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.
Gina