While museums are probably not the types of venues associated with the chaos and colour that characterises large- scale music festivals, many are reinterpreting the festival concept for their own audiences.
In many cases the events are heavily influenced by the museum’s collections and displays, which often offer the kinds of transporting qualities or alternative perspectives that festivals and carnivals thrive on.
The Dulwich Picture Gallery’s first weekend culture festival, MayFest: Men of Mystery (15-17 May), was prompted by the similarities between the work of film director Alfred Hitchcock and English painter and designer Eric Ravilious, whose ethereal watercolours are on display at the gallery until the end of August.
“Ravilious is said to have been inspired by the films of Alfred Hitchcock, so we took the opportunity to explore the work of these two artists during our first MayFest, with a 1930s and 40s vintage theme,” says Ellie Manwell, the head of communications at the Dulwich Picture Gallery.
Festivalgoers, who were encouraged to dress up in vintage-style clothing, were able to attend outdoor film screenings, swing dancing lessons, tour the Ravilious exhibition and take part in an art workshop, after which their creations were hung up around the gallery.
As the festival, organised by the museum’s communications department, is the first of its kind, the aim is to use it as an audience development tool, rather than focus on how much revenue it generates, says Manwell.
When Imperial War Museum (IWM) London relaunched its short film festival in 2014, the aim was to raise further the profile of its film archives. For the first time, film submissions were accepted from everyone, although a special effort was made to encourage students and amateur filmmakers to enter their work.
“We want more filmmakers to make use of our collections,” says Hannah Guthrie, the national and international learning and engagement programmes and projects manager at IWM. “Rather than just screening films that are responses to our subject matter we want to screen films that actually use our collections.”
In addition to screening the films shortlisted for awards, the 2014 festival gave visitors the chance to attend free talks with museum and film industry experts. Previously, the festival was run by the museum’s film archive but it has now been integrated with activities happening across the museum.
IWM is evaluating the event to see whether it achieved its key aims, which included engaging audiences in their early 20s and 30s and showcasing work inspired by its film archive and collections. The next festival will be in 2016.
Even museums with a long history of running festivals can see the benefits of expanding what they offer. The Weald & Downland Open Air Museum in Chichester, West Sussex, has run a festival every year since 1989.
Historically, the museum’s festivals have primarily been centred on locally produced food, but this year’s event (3-4 May) also included plenty of folk music and dancing.
Overnight camping and big stages did not feature at the Food and Folk Festival, but this is not something the museum is ruling out for the future.
Its rural setting certainly lends itself to some field-based partying, but it has no ambition to be the next Glastonbury. “We have to be realistic about the types of events that we do and what sort of size and the target numbers we are looking at,” says Sue O’Keeffe, the museum’s events co-ordinator.
Efforts are also being made to ensure the festival is in keeping with the traditional rural pastimes and crafts that dominate the Weald & Downland’s collections. Theatre performances, storytelling and reconstructions of medieval commerce and cooking make sure visitors don’t lose sight of the past as they party in the present.
I think the festival, and, in particular, the Hitchcock screenings and swing dancing, has provided another way for prospective visitors to develop an interest in the Ravilious exhibition by highlighting the links to populist and familiar cultural styles. Perhaps visitors discovered something new in the paintings as a result.
The event also encouraged visitors with Dulwich on their radar to finally make the trip. And of course we hope that it brought an atmosphere of enjoyment and celebration to the gallery.
Ellie Manwell is the head of communications at the Dulwich Picture Gallery, London
In many cases the events are heavily influenced by the museum’s collections and displays, which often offer the kinds of transporting qualities or alternative perspectives that festivals and carnivals thrive on.
The Dulwich Picture Gallery’s first weekend culture festival, MayFest: Men of Mystery (15-17 May), was prompted by the similarities between the work of film director Alfred Hitchcock and English painter and designer Eric Ravilious, whose ethereal watercolours are on display at the gallery until the end of August.
“Ravilious is said to have been inspired by the films of Alfred Hitchcock, so we took the opportunity to explore the work of these two artists during our first MayFest, with a 1930s and 40s vintage theme,” says Ellie Manwell, the head of communications at the Dulwich Picture Gallery.
Festivalgoers, who were encouraged to dress up in vintage-style clothing, were able to attend outdoor film screenings, swing dancing lessons, tour the Ravilious exhibition and take part in an art workshop, after which their creations were hung up around the gallery.
As the festival, organised by the museum’s communications department, is the first of its kind, the aim is to use it as an audience development tool, rather than focus on how much revenue it generates, says Manwell.
When Imperial War Museum (IWM) London relaunched its short film festival in 2014, the aim was to raise further the profile of its film archives. For the first time, film submissions were accepted from everyone, although a special effort was made to encourage students and amateur filmmakers to enter their work.
“We want more filmmakers to make use of our collections,” says Hannah Guthrie, the national and international learning and engagement programmes and projects manager at IWM. “Rather than just screening films that are responses to our subject matter we want to screen films that actually use our collections.”
In addition to screening the films shortlisted for awards, the 2014 festival gave visitors the chance to attend free talks with museum and film industry experts. Previously, the festival was run by the museum’s film archive but it has now been integrated with activities happening across the museum.
IWM is evaluating the event to see whether it achieved its key aims, which included engaging audiences in their early 20s and 30s and showcasing work inspired by its film archive and collections. The next festival will be in 2016.
Even museums with a long history of running festivals can see the benefits of expanding what they offer. The Weald & Downland Open Air Museum in Chichester, West Sussex, has run a festival every year since 1989.
Historically, the museum’s festivals have primarily been centred on locally produced food, but this year’s event (3-4 May) also included plenty of folk music and dancing.
Overnight camping and big stages did not feature at the Food and Folk Festival, but this is not something the museum is ruling out for the future.
Its rural setting certainly lends itself to some field-based partying, but it has no ambition to be the next Glastonbury. “We have to be realistic about the types of events that we do and what sort of size and the target numbers we are looking at,” says Sue O’Keeffe, the museum’s events co-ordinator.
Efforts are also being made to ensure the festival is in keeping with the traditional rural pastimes and crafts that dominate the Weald & Downland’s collections. Theatre performances, storytelling and reconstructions of medieval commerce and cooking make sure visitors don’t lose sight of the past as they party in the present.
Dancing at the Dulwich Picture Gallery
I think the festival, and, in particular, the Hitchcock screenings and swing dancing, has provided another way for prospective visitors to develop an interest in the Ravilious exhibition by highlighting the links to populist and familiar cultural styles. Perhaps visitors discovered something new in the paintings as a result.
The event also encouraged visitors with Dulwich on their radar to finally make the trip. And of course we hope that it brought an atmosphere of enjoyment and celebration to the gallery.
Ellie Manwell is the head of communications at the Dulwich Picture Gallery, London
