Me and my research

I have been a gallery director and curatorial consultant for more than 30 years and my passion has always been the development of arts education, from fine and applied art and crafts to music, drama and dance.

I decided to return to academic study because of my interest in how the arts and culture can assist in quality of life and socio-cultural interaction among the older population.

Digital barriers

It’s not simply the issues of physical access to museums, galleries and heritage sites that interest me, it was also the matter of psychological access and the need for greater awareness of this when planning and facilitating projects.

Recently, I have been speaking at conferences on the dangers of relying on new digital technologies for the engagement and dissemination of knowledge and how they may not be accessible to older people.

Exciting though the possibilities may be, we need to address the barriers this may create for those who grew up long before the advent of the home computer and the worldwide web.
 
I am keen to investigate how much the sector is aware of possibilities to engage an even wider audience in assisting older people to become a conduit of learning to younger people.

Transmission

I have devised a project entitled Elders as Educators, which will provide training for those who wish to encourage their grandchildren, young friends and family to come along to the museum and engage with the rich heritage and treasures in our national collections.
 
With the sector’s growing reliance on volunteers in these challenging economic times, this can offer enormous potential development for all museums, galleries and heritage institutions to make meaningful links with visitors of all ages.

Caro Skyrme is an advanced postgraduate student at Bath Spa University